No one wants to see flashing red and blue lights behind them while driving. But, odds are, at some point or another, you are likely to get pulled over for a traffic infraction. If you were distracted or in a hurry, you may have been driving faster than you should have been without even realizing it. If you have just received a speeding ticket, you may find yourself wondering if you should just pay the ticket or whether it is really worth it to hire an attorney to fight the speeding ticket. Here are a few of the factors to consider when deciding whether or not it is worth it to hire a speeding ticket attorney. 

The Cost of the Ticket Versus the Lawyers Fees

One of the first things you will want to do is determine how much the ticket will cost you if you simply plead guilty and pay it. The cost for a speeding ticket is typically tied to the miles per hour over the speed limit you were going. Going five to 10 miles over the speed limit will cost you a lot less money than going 25 miles per hour over the speed limit. Once you know how much the fine you are facing is, compare it to the cost of hiring a speeding ticket attorney. Most traffic attorneys charge a flat fee, so this makes it easier to compare prices. If the attorney costs a lot more than the ticket, it may not be worth it if this is your first ticket in some time. 

How Many Points Are on Your Driving Record

While the cost of the ticket versus the cost of the attorney is a key factor to consider, you also need to take into account your driving record. If you have a number of infractions on your driving record, your license may be suspended if you are convicted of another infraction. If this is the case, hiring an attorney to fight the ticket, regardless of cost, may be advised so you can fight to keep your license. 

The Increased Cost of Your Insurance

The last factor to consider when deciding whether to hire a speeding ticket attorney for a speeding ticket is how much your insurance will increase if you are convicted of the offense. If this is your first speeding ticket in two to five years, you may be able to take driving school or defensive driving courses to keep the ticket off of your driving record, and thus, keep your auto insurance rates as low as possible. But if you have multiple tickets, hiring an attorney to fight or contest this one may save you money on increased insurance costs if they are successful. 

If this is your first speeding ticket in some time, and you were only going five to ten miles per hour over the posted speed limit, you may want to pay the ticket, go to traffic school and resolve to driving safer in the future. However, if you were issued a speeding ticket for driving grossly over the posted speed limit or have multiple driving infractions in the past, hiring a lawyer may be better than pleading guilty.