Applying for Jobs with a Criminal Record: Know Your Rights
Given An Unfair Speeding Ticket? Know About Some Potential Defenses
Michelle Garrett
Were you given a speeding ticket while driving your vehicle, but you feel like it is not justified? If so, you may be looking to fight it in court and have the ticket waived or reduced. These tickets are becoming more common with radar enforcement zones where your car is photographed and a ticket sent in the mail, so you do not always have the ability to explain the situation to an officer at the time the ticket is written. Here are some reasons that you could help you get out of your speeding ticket.
It Was Due To An Emergency
Were you trying to take somebody to the emergency room, and were looking to get there as quickly as possible? This may be a reason for your ticket that you view as being unfair, and worth going to court to fight it. You can explain the situation to a judge, and depending on how fast you were actually going above the speed limit, you may receive some forgiveness over the situation.
Be prepared to have evidence that you actually went to the emergency room. For instance, having a medical bill dated with the same day as the speeding ticket. This can help prove that the emergency was real and not something that was made up.
It Was Due To Defensive Driving
Sometimes you need to speed because you are driving in a defensive manner. For instance, you may have needed to speed to get out of the way of a potential accident. There may have been another driver in your vicinity that was driving erratically, potentially due to being drunk, and you wanted to get as far away from them as possible so you were not involved in an accident.
While these situations are harder to prove, you can state your case and see if it reduces your ticket or have it waived completely.
It Was Out Of Your Control
There may be an extenuating circumstance that caused you to speed, which was out of your control at the time. Coercion can happen if someone else in the car was forcing you to drive the way you were. It can also be possible to be coerced by the police, especially if you had to quickly get your vehicle out of the way for an emergency vehicle.
If you're not confident about defending yourself in court, work with a speeding ticket attorney in your area.
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I'll be up front: I have a criminal record. As someone who's spent lots--and lots--of time looking for a job in my life, I've gotten used to being up front with this fact. It's difficult to get hired with this on my record, and frankly, it never gets less scary to have to tell an interviewer about it. But that doesn't mean I'm unemployable. I'm a hard worker who can bring a lot to any company. And I also know what an employer needs to do for me. I know my rights. There's no federal law protecting me from discrimination due to my record, but there are plenty of state laws that make it a little easier for me. If you're looking for a job and you have a criminal record, read through this information. Protect yourself during a job search. Know your rights.