How a Speeding Ticket Impacts Your Insurance in Oklahoma

Finding affordable car insurance after getting a speeding ticket will prove difficult and will be even more challenging based on the miles per hour (mph) over the limit you were driving. So, how much does this moving violation impact your car insurance rate?

On average, Oklahoma drivers with speeding tickets face car insurance rates 21 percent higher than those with a clean record. Having a ticket on your record makes insurance companies view you as a high-risk driver, someone likely to have claims and, therefore, losses in the future. To protect themselves against these potential losses, insurance companies raise your rates, although the exact increase will vary based on the provider as well as your demographics and driving history.

Fortunately, Oklahoma provides options to avoid these rate hikes, and we have a few other tips to lower auto insurance costs as well:

1. Get the ticket dismissed: Your best option is to get the ticket dismissed from your record by attending driver’s education classes. If the ticket is off your record, your insurance company won’t be able to raise your premiums based on that factor. Reach out to your local municipality for information on how to sign up for these driver improvement courses.
2. Buy minimum coverage: Buying liability coverage only with the minimum limits required by the state ($25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of bodily injury coverage, plus $25,000 of property damage coverage) is your cheapest insurance option.¹ As of 2020, liability insurance in Oklahoma costs only $488 a year, but if a speeding ticket remains on your record, expect to pay around $590.² That said, keep in mind that without medical payments, comprehensive and collision coverage, you’ll pay for your property damages and your and your passengers’ medical costs out of pocket. We recommend getting full coverage, even though that means a higher price compared to minimum coverage.
3. Bundle policies: Are you part of the 69 percent of Oklahoma residents that own their homes?³ Bundling your home and auto insurance under the same provider could unlock some big savings. Even if you’re not a homeowner, ask your insurance provider if they offer discounts for bundling auto with renters, life or another type of insurance policy.
4. Get pay-per-mile insurance: Oklahoma residents have the 12th-lowest average commute time in the country, traveling only 22 minutes each way to work.⁴ If you have a short commute, take advantage of your low mileage by enrolling in pay-per-mile insurance. There are also programs that take into account driving behaviors, rewarding you with discounts for avoiding nighttime driving, hard braking and speeding.
5. Ask for discounts: Car insurance companies may offer some discounts you don’t know about, like discounts for enrolling in automatic payments, taking a defensive driving course or installing anti-theft devices on your car. Ask how you can save and you shall receive. Oklahoma Farm Bureau Insurance, for example, offers discounts for full-time students, people who bundle their auto insurance with other policies and people who have multiple vehicles.

The cost of a speeding ticket in Oklahoma depends on where the violation occurred and your speed. If it occurred on a highway in the state, the fines are as follows.

What to do after getting a speeding ticket varies based on where the violation occurred in Oklahoma. As an example, let’s go over the process for drivers in Oklahoma City, which houses the largest population in the state:⁹

1. Pay the fine: Pay your fine by the date listed on your ticket. If this is your first speeding ticket, you can get a pay extension, but you’ll have to go in person to the customer service window of the Municipal Court before your court date, which is, again, written on your ticket.
2. Plead not guilty or no contest: If you wish to contest the ticket, you can plead not guilty or no contest by appearing at the court on the court date. You’ll have to pay $35 to post a bond and you’ll only receive a trial date after you post the bond.
3. Get the ticket dismissed: Even if you plead guilty, you can get the ticket dismissed by attending driver improvement school and paying an administrative fee.
4. Avoid further penalties: Failing to pay the fine, post the bond or appear in court will cause increased fines and bond amounts, plus more fees. You could also get charged with failure to appear in court, leading to even more penalties.¹⁰

Here are some of the other traffic violations that affect auto insurance in Oklahoma aside from speeding.

• Changing lanes improperly
• Disregarding a signal light
• Driver’s license violation
• Driving under suspension
• Failure to show state insurance
• Failure to stop at a stop sign
• Failure to yield to the right of way
• Improper left, right or U-turn
• Improper vehicle tag display
• Seat belt violation
• Transporting an open container of beer or alcohol
• Vehicle equipment violation

For more information on speeding in Oklahoma, keep reading for our frequently asked questions (FAQs) section below. Be aware that other states may have different laws and penalties. Just remember: No matter where in the country you are, make sure you’re following the local speed limit to avoid fines, imprisonment and higher car insurance costs.