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Last updated: September 29, 2023
How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Insurance in Alabama
Plus, how to get tickets dismissed by taking a defensive driving course
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In 2021, 28 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes in Alabama involved speeding, 246 out of 885. While the state’s fines for speeding are relatively low, if you’re caught and convicted of speeding on a local road, you could pay considerably more. Not to mention that you will accrue points on your driver’s license that could lead to a suspension, among other penalties.
Your troubles don’t end with legal penalties, however. With a speeding ticket on your record, your insurance premium will increase, no matter your provider. But exactly how much more will you pay for car insurance as a high-risk driver compared to someone with a clean driving record?
The Cost of Insurance After a Speeding Ticket
On average, expect rates for car insurance in Alabama to increase by 21 percent following even a single speeding ticket. These prices are for full coverage, which includes comprehensive and collision coverage.
| Average annual cost of car insurance in Alabama | Clean record | Speeding ticket | Percentage difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Across all companies | $1,523 | $1,839 | 21% |
| Farmers | $1,906 | $2,155 | 13% |
| GEICO | $1,330 | $1,475 | 11% |
| Progressive | $2,207 | $2,280 | 3% |
| State Farm | $1,706 | $1,966 | 15% |
| USAA | $1,457 | $1,787 | 23% |
NOTE:
Based on averages, GEICO’s costs are the lowest in the state, but your exact rate will differ based on your ZIP code, vehicle make, age, credit score, and other factors that affect the cost of insurance.
Compare rates with multiple car insurance companies. Your auto insurance rates are based on your driving history, and you’ll see higher rates the more miles per hour (mph) over the speed limit you were driving.
How to Lower Premiums After a Speeding Ticket
Even though you’re a high-risk driver, you can try to minimize the impact that a speeding ticket has on your car insurance premium:
- Take a defensive driving course. Get your ticket dismissed by taking a defensive driving course (more details below).
- Get minimum coverage. Getting $100,000 worth of liability coverage is the cheapest possible option, the state’s minimum car insurance requirement:
- Bodily injury liability coverage per person: $25,000
- Bodily injury liability coverage per accident: $50,000
- Property damage liability coverage per accident: $25,000
- Improve your credit score. Companies in Alabama are allowed to use your credit score to determine your premium. The higher your credit score is, the lower your premium will be.1 To improve your credit, take care of any outstanding debt, limit your credit inquiries, and make payments on time.
DID YOU KNOW?
In 2020, the average annual cost of liability insurance in Alabama was only $517, 19 percent lower than the national average.2
Cost of Speeding Ticket in Alabama
Penalties for speeding differ whether the violation occurred on a state highway or a local road. However, points will remain the same throughout the state.
Points
According to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, you can receive two or five points on your driving record for speeding.
| Offense | Number of points |
|---|---|
| Speeding 1-25 mph over limit | 2 |
| Speeding 26 mph or more over limit | 5 |
Twelve or more points in a two-year period will result in a license suspension of up to one year. While points fall off your record after two years, convictions will remain on your driving record, meaning they can affect insurance but not license suspension.
| Number of points in a 2-year period | Length of license suspension in days |
|---|---|
| 12-24 | 60 |
| 15-17 | 90 |
| 18-20 | 120 |
| 21-23 | 180 |
| 24 and above | 365 |
Commercial drivers have stricter speeding laws compared to those with standard licenses. For commercial drivers, driving 15 miles per hour or more over the posted limit is considered excessive speeding, a serious offense that could result in a disqualification of your license:
- Two serious offenses within a three-year period: 60 days
- Three serious offenses within a three-year period: 120 days
State Fines
The state will handle any speeding on highways that do not fall under municipal law. Fines range from $20 to $40, which is relatively low, or $250 in a construction zone.3
| Offense | Fine | Fine in a construction zone |
|---|---|---|
| Speeding less than 25 mph over limit | $20 | $250 |
| Speeding 25 mph or more over limit | $40 | $250 |
| Speeding over a reasonable/prudent speed | $20 | $250 |
| Driving under the minimum speed | $20 | $250 |
Local Fines
Local fines vary by city or county. Here is a sample from three cities in Alabama: Troy,4 Birmingham,5 and Huntsville.6
| Penalties for speeding | Troy | Birmingham | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 25 mph over limit | $0 | $190 | $179 |
| 25 mph or more over limit | $196 | $210 | $199 |
| Speeding in a construction zone, less than 25 mph over limit | N/A | $210 | N/A |
| Speeding in a construction zone, more than 25 mph over limit | N/A | $250 | N/A |
| Speeding more than “reasonable and prudent” | N/A | $190 | N/A |
| Under the minimum speed | N/A | $190 | N/A |
| Speeding on bicycle | N/A | $210 | N/A |
Racing on Highways
Finally, the state has even stricter penalties for racing on highways.7
| Offense number | 1 | 2 | 3 and subsequent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine | $500 | $3,000 | $6,000 |
| Length of imprisonment | 5-90 days | 10 days-6 months | 1 year maximum |
| Length of probation, if imprisonment is suspended | 30 days | 6 months | 1 year |
| Length of time prohibited from driving on public highway | 6 months maximum | 1 year maximum | 1 year maximum |
| License suspension | Length not specified | Length not specified | Length not specified |
| Vehicle impoundment | Yes | Yes | Yes |
What to Do If You Get a Speeding Ticket
If you get a speeding ticket, you can plead guilty and get it dismissed or plead not guilty and go to trial.
Plead Guilty
The easiest option is to plead guilty if you believe the speeding ticket was correct. You can pay for your ticket in two ways:
- Online: https://traffic.alacourt.gov/default.aspx
- Phone: 1-877-252-72948
To avoid appearing in court, you can resolve your ticket online through what the state calls the Online Traffic Resolution (OTR) System and attend driving school in the following counties:
- Autauga
- Baldwin
- Bibb
- Blount
- Calhoun
- Chambers
- Cherokee
- Clarke
- Clay
- Cleburne
- Coffee, Elba
- Coffee, Enterprise
- Colbert
- Coosa
- Covington
- Cullman
- Dallas
- Escambia
- Franklin
- Geneva
- Greene
- Jefferson
- Lauderdale
- Lee
- Limestone
- Lowndes
- Madison
- Mobile
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Perry
- Pike
- Russell
- Shelby
- St. Clair, Ashville
- St. Clair, Pell City
- Talladega
- Talladega, Sylacauga
- Tuscaloosa
- Washington
Click on this link to use the OTR System: https://resolve.alacourt.gov/. In some counties, attending a defensive driving school requires a guilty plea. However, if you complete driving school, upload your certificate of completion with the Alabama courts, and pay the court costs, your ticket will be dismissed.
Plead Not Guilty
If you believe you received the ticket in error, you can plead not guilty, but you’ll have to request a trial, which will be a much more challenging and time-consuming process compared to a guilty plea.
Other Traffic Violations That Affect Car Insurance
Avoid the following traffic violations to keep your driving record points-free and your car insurance premium low.
- Drinking alcohol while operating a vehicle, otherwise known as DUI
- Failure to signal
- Failure to yield the right of way
- Following too closely
- Illegal passing
- Improper lane change
- Improper turn
- Passing a stopped school bus
- Reckless driving9
Recap
Speeding isn’t just dangerous; it’s illegal and could cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Want to learn more about speeding in Alabama, including how long a speeding ticket stays on your record? Keep reading our frequently asked questions below.
Or to find out exactly how a speeding ticket affects your insurance and what you can expect to pay, compare quotes from multiple companies after receiving a speeding ticket. Auto insurance quotes will be elevated as long as the ticket stays on your driving record.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a speeding ticket stay on your record for insurance in Alabama?
A speeding ticket will stay on your record for insurance indefinitely, as points are removed only after two years for license suspension purposes, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.
How do I get a speeding ticket taken off my record in Alabama?
To get a speeding ticket taken off your record in Alabama, participate in the OTR System and take a defensive driving course. Pay the court fees and mail the certification of completion ticket to the court, and it will dismiss your ticket.
How many miles over the speed limit is reckless driving in Alabama?
Alabama Code Section 32-4A-190 does not specify a specific speed for reckless driving. Rather, it defines reckless driving as driving at a speed so as to endanger or be likely to endanger people or property.
Do speed camera tickets go on your record in Alabama?
Whether speed camera tickets go on your record in Alabama depends on which city you committed the violation in. For example, according to Alabama Code 45-37A-331.33, the City of Midfield allows for speeding violations via speed cameras. The City of Brantley allows them as well, according to Alabama Code Section 45-21A-10.02. Check with your municipality to see if camera speeding tickets are permissible.
Senior Writer & Editor
A seasoned journalist and content strategist with over 10 years of editorial experience in digital media, Aliza Vigderman has written and edited hundreds of articles on the site, covering everything from plan coverages to discounts to state laws. Previously, she was a senior editor and industry analyst at the home and digital security website Security.org, previously called Security Baron. She has also contributed to The Huffington Post, SquareFoot, and Degreed. Aliza studied journalism at Brandeis University.
Citations
CREDIT SCORING: HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOU? Alabama Department of Insurance. (2002, Aug 2).
https://www.aldoi.gov/currentnewsitem.aspx?ID=2822019/2020 Auto Insurance Database Report. National Association of Insurance Commissioners. (2023, Jan).
https://content.naic.org/sites/default/files/publication-aut-pb-auto-insurance-database.pdfRule 20. Magistrates’ fine schedule and procedure if defendant elects to plead guilty in district court or municipal court. ALABAMA RULES OF JUDICIAL ADMINISTRATION. (2023).
https://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/library/rules/ja20.pdfRules & Fines. Troy Alabama. (2023).
https://www.troyal.gov/content/6205/6217/6328/default.aspxSCHEDULE OF FINES FOR TRAFFIC & NON-TRAFFIC OFFENSES. Birmingham Alabama Government. (2015, Jun).
https://www.birminghamal.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Summary-Disposition-Schedule.pdfTraffic Ticket Costs. Huntsville Alabama. (2023).
https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/government/municipal-courts/pay-a-ticket-citation/traffic-ticket-costs/2022 Code of Alabama Title 32 – Motor Vehicles and Traffic. Chapter 5A – Rules of the Road. Article 8 – Speed Restrictions. Section 32-5A-178 – Racing on Highways; Penalties. JUSTIA US Law. (2022).
https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2022/title-32/chapter-5a/article-8/section-32-5a-178/ALABAMA TRAFFIC SERVICE CENTER. Alabama Court. (2023).
https://traffic.alacourt.gov/default.aspxDriver License Point System. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. (2023).
https://www.alea.gov/dps/driver-license/driver-license-point-system
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