C.G.S. § 14-219 – Speeding

Definition of Speeding

The legislature has passed several statutes related to speeding laws in Connecticut. The police cite you according to what type of road you were driving on and how fast the police allege you were driving. C.G.S. § 14-219 is the mid-level speeding statute in Connecticut, and it covers a wide range of situations.

The most important thing to know is that you should never plead guilty to a speeding ticket. If you mail in the ticket or pay online, it will go on your driving record with the centralized infractions bureau in Hartford and will result in increases in your insurance rates. Also, if you get enough tickets, you can suffer administrative consequences from the DMV, such as the need to engage in driver retraining courses, and possible suspension of your driver's license.

While traffic tickets in Connecticut all say on the back that paying the ticket online or by mail will result in "no-points" being issued, this is very misleading. While the DMV may not assess points, the conviction will still be noted on your driving record, and your insurance company will access increased insurance rates accordingly. Any ticket that you mail in or pay online will affect your insurance rates for at least the next three years and could cost you hundreds of dollars in increased insurance premiums.

Many people want to take the easy road out and think that by just paying the ticket, they are going to quickly put the unpleasant interaction with the police officer into the past. Our advice is always to contest every speeding ticket. If you are too busy to attend court yourself or could use the services of an experienced Connecticut traffic ticket lawyer to help give us a call. We can take care of the entire case for you, and in most situations, you will never have to take any time off from work or school to attend court.

Elements of the Crime That Must be Proven by the State

To secure a conviction of speeding in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 14-219, a state's attorney must be able to prove that:

C.G.S. § 14-219(a) - Speeding to endanger - violation

1. No person shall operate a motor vehicle upon a road or highway;
2. At a rate of speed to endanger the life of any occupant at a rate of speed over a posted 55 mph or 65 mph speed limit zone on a highway; OR
3. If the operator is under the age of 18, upon any road or highway with a speed limit less than 65 mph at a rate of speed more than 20 mph over the posted speed limit

C.G.S. § 14-219(b) - Speeding - an infraction

1. No person shall operate a motor vehicle;
2. On a multiple lane, limited access highway with a speed limit of 55 mph at a speed greater than 55 mph but less than 70 mph; OR
3. On a multiple lane, limited access highway with a speed limit of 65 mph at a speed greater than 65 mph but less than 70 mph; OR
4. On any other type of highway at a speed greater than 55 mph but less than 60 mph; OR
5. If the operator is under the age of 18, upon any road or highway with a speed limit less than 65 mph at a rate of speed more than 20 mph over the posted speed limit

C.G.S. § 14-219(c) - Speeding - Violation

1. No person shall operate a motor vehicle;
2. On a multiple lane, limited access highway at a rate of speed greater than 70 mph but less than 85 mph; OR
3. On any other type of highway at a speed greater than 60 mph but less than 85 mph.

Examples

A man is driving along with traffic on I-95 on his daily commute in a 55 mph zone near Norwalk, Connecticut. Everyone is driving between 65 and 70 mph. A state police trooper using a radar gun singles out the man's car and pulls him over claiming that he was going 68 mph. The man could be convicted of the infraction of C.G.S. 14-219(b) because his speed was greater than 55 mph but under 70 mph.

A man is driving on I-84 westbound near Waterbury, Connecticut at 97 mph in the left-hand lane. A state police trooper running a radar speed trap clocks the man and pulls him over. The officer could charge the man with the misdemeanor crime of C.G.S. § 14-222 reckless driving because he was driving more than 85 mph, which is reckless driving per se. However, the officer gives the man a "break" and writes him up for a violation of C.G.S. § 14-219(c), speeding.

Related Offenses

Connecticut General Statutes § 14-218a - Traveling Unreasonably Fast

Connecticut General Statutes § 14-222 - Reckless Driving

Connecticut General Statutes § 12-224 - Evading Responsibility

Defenses to Speeding

Most speeding tickets are issued by police officers using radar or laser devices to measure speed. Speeding enforcement is a massive money-making operation for the State of Connecticut. Millions of dollars are collected every year through speed enforcement. Many of our clients are upset because they simply were driving along with the flow of traffic and were singled out. The reality is that no one drives 55 mph on the highway, and if you try driving 55 mph, the other cars will be racing by you so quickly it will be unsafe.

C.G.S. § 14-219c sets forth strict statutory requirements that a police officer must follow when using any speed monitoring device to give you a ticket. This includes radar, laser, vascar, or any other device that a policeman uses to measure your speed. The statute requires that the police officer testify under oath that

1. The officer had adequate training in using the device being used to clock your speed;
2. The radar, laser or other device was in proper working order at the time you were given the ticket verified by proof that the suggested methods of testing the device used were followed;
3. The laser or radar device was used in an area that had the minimum possibility of distortion;
4. If moving radar or speed clocking was used that the police car's speed was verified;
5. That the radar or laser device was expertly tested within a reasonable period of time following the arrest, and the testing method did not rely upon the internal calibration of such radar, laser, or other devices.

If the defense can show that the police officer did not follow these procedures, then the evidence must be suppressed.

Attorney Friedman underwent training with the Connecticut State Police in radar and laser speeding enforcement and fully understands the proper procedures that police must follow when measuring your speed. The police make many errors because they are in a rush to hand out as many tickets as possible and usually don't keep accurate notes. In the last three decades, Attorney Friedman has successfully had hundreds of speeding tickets dismissed.

Penalties

This offense can be treated as an infraction or a violation. You can't serve any jail time for speeding. All that can happen is you will have to pay a fine if you plead guilty or are convicted after a trial. The main reason to fight these tickets is that pleading guilty will cost you hundreds of dollars in increased insurance costs for several years. Also, if you get enough speeding tickets, you could lose your license.

Let Us Defend Your Speeding Ticket!

Speeding tickets can affect your driver's license and cause your insurance rates to increase. You should not hesitate to contact Stamford traffic ticket lawyer Allan F. Friedman if you have been charged with speeding or a related offense. He can explore the events that resulted in the charge and investigate appropriate defenses. You will never have to appear in court. Call us for a free consultation at (203) 357-5555 or contact us via our online form.

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