Speeding In Springfield: Understanding Traffic Violations in Massachusetts

The drivers in Massachusetts are notorious for their fast driving, particularly in and around Springfield. However, that doesn’t mean that the state has lax speeding laws. In fact, Massachusetts is ranked ninth in Esurance’s list of top ten states that hand out the highest number of speeding tickets. So, you’ll do well to remember that saying you were “keeping up with the traffic” will not make a good excuse while appealing a speeding ticket in court.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep within the speed limit even if the other drivers have thrown caution to the wind. Adhering to the speed limit in Massachusetts is particularly important because the speeding points here are automatically linked to your insurance premiums. This means the more you break the speed limit, the higher the insurance premium you’ll have to pay.

How Much Does a Speeding Ticket Cost in Massachusetts?

Traffic ticket fines, including speeding, are consistent throughout the state of Massachusetts, so it’ll cost you the same amount regardless of whether you’re caught violating in New Bedford or Springfield. What will make a difference is the speed you’re driving at. There’s a flat $50 fine for speeding 10 mph or less over the speed limit. There is also a flat $50 fine for each ticket that goes to the state’s Head Injury Treatment Services Trust Fund. For every extra mph over ten, the state will fine you an additional $10.

So, for instance, if you were pulled over for driving at 85 mph in a 70 mph zone, you’d be charged an extra %50 for a total fine of $150.

Massachusetts’ Point System

As we’ve mentioned above the point system of Massachusetts is directly linked to your insurance premium. The state’s Safe Driver Insurance Program (SDIP), mandates insurance premiums to be increased for drivers who have speeding points on their records. Your insurance premium goes up by 15% with every speeding point you get.

On the flip side, the program rewards safe drivers with discounts as well. If you don’t get any speeding points for 6 years, the “Excellent Driver Discount Plus” kicks in, which is worth a 17% insurance premium discount. If you have a driving experience of 5 years, and have either no violations, or just one that’s over 3 years old, you become eligible for the “Excellent Driver Discount”, which is worth 7% off your insurance premium.

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