How To Accidentally Get a 200 MPH Speeding Ticket in New York
There's fast, and then there's what on earth were you thinking?! fast. But did you know it's possible to get an absolutely massive speeding ticket without going anywhere close to the actual speed?
Driving in New York is dangerous enough as it is without adding extra hazards to the roads. While commuters making up their own rules on Hudson Valley bridges is annoying, so is this possible mistake by local police.
Speed Limits in New York State
In New York, speed limits vary greatly. The lowest speed limit in the state (not including school zones) is 25 mph, while the highest is 65 mph on highways like Interstate 87. On non-highways, the limit drops to 55 mph... but what about 200 mph?
Fastest Speeding Ticket Issued in New York State
One of the fastest speeding tickets ever given in the state of New York lists the driver's speed at an astonishing 200 mph. While most standard cars can't achieve a speed nearly this fast, the lawyer representing the case says that anyone could be on the receiving end of the outrageous ticket. Here's why:
How to "Accidentally" Receive a 200 MPH Speeding Ticket in New York
"Our lead-footed client was charged with exceeding the speed limit but the officer failed to write any amount for that speed", the lawyer explained. They continued by sharing a startling detail about what happens if the field is blank:
The Nassau County Traffic & Parking Violations Agency [in] Hempstead, NY, has an unusual policy when confronted by such omissions. It inserts 200 mph as the charged speed because their clerks cannot enter the traffic summons unless some number is added to this field.
According to the the lawyer at Weiss & Associates, the practice of entering 200 mph on uncomplete speeding tickets was not only a surprise to the legal team, but it led to the charge being thrown out due to the ticket being "defective".
While the original story is from 2009, it goes to show how easily a simple clerical error could lead to such unintended consequences. Next time you get pulled over for speeding, you might want to remind the officer to fill out the ticket completely (or don't, and cross your fingers an error could get your case dismissed).
Obviously, do not take anything in this article as actual legal advice.
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