The state of Illinois takes speeding in a construction zone seriously, so if you just received a photo ticket in the mail, don't wave it off and throw the ticket in with your other junk mail. That ticket means you are required to appear in court and may have to pay the minimum fine of $375.
Do we have your attention now?
Many of our clients are confused when they first receive these tickets for speeding in a construction zone. Where was the camera that took a picture of the car? And why did the ticket take so long to arrive?
Illinois has photo speed enforcement vans that they park at construction sites. They have a speed indicator on the top to let you know how fast you're going and it's supposed to be your last warning to either slow down, or say “cheese” for the camera. If your car is going above the construction zone speed limit, a camera radar is triggered and a photo gets taken of you, your car, and your license plate. It also notes the time of day and the speed.
You know what's usually not in the picture? Construction workers or any indication that work was being performed. In order to follow through with the citation, the state needs to prove that construction workers were present.
You do not want to be charged with speeding in a construction zone, so be sure to have a traffic violation attorney on your side before you step foot in that courtroom. If you have already been charged with speeding in a construction zone once before, you definitely don't want to go in there alone; you may have to pay $1,000 and could lose your license for 90 days.
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