Getting pulled over for driving too fast is more than just inconvenient. It can also lead to an expensive traffic ticket, which could cost you as much as $600 in fines if you were going quite a bit over the speed limit. Even those going just five miles over the speed limit could pay $150 for the ticket itself.

It’s important to realize that paying the ticket defensively means pleading guilty to the traffic infraction, which will negatively impact your driving record. When it is time to renew your insurance, you can expect your costs will go up because of the negative mark on your record. How big of an impact will a single ticket have?

you will pay hundreds of dollars more for insurance

Insurance coverage in New York is not as cheap as it is in many other states. Many drivers with standard policies pay a couple of hundred dollars a month, leading to an annual cost of over $2,000. You can expect that annual amount to increase by several hundred dollars after a single speeding ticket.

Research into the cost people pay for insurance in New York suggests that, on average, a single speeding ticket will lead to a 14% increase in the total amount paid for insurance each year. The faster the speed and the more serious the citation, the bigger the impact it might have on your insurance costs.

The rising insurance premiums you will need to pay are just one reason why fighting a traffic ticket may be a better decision than just paying it. Learning about the consequences of a traffic ticket can help you make more informed decisions.