The people of Arizona are friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere is generally casual and relaxed. However, one thing the state takes seriously is the speed limit. You probably figured that out pretty quickly, even if you aren’t native to the area.
Over the past few months, you may have heard that the Arizona Department of Transportation has partnered with the Department of Public Safety and the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety to implement Safety Corridors throughout the state. These zero-tolerance zones are designated to be heavily patrolled by law enforcement who will stop and ticket you for the least infraction of traffic safety rules.
Zero tolerance
By targeting the areas of travel that experience the highest rates of accidents, injuries and deaths — such as the road you were traveling when police pulled you over — ADOT hopes to reduce certain driver behaviors that often result in collisions, such as:
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Not using your seatbelts
When officers say zero tolerance in these Safety Corridors, they mean it. Police will implement speed traps and law enforcement presence to deter you from unsafe driving. Signs will alert you that playing fast and loose with the posted speed limits will likely earn you a ticket or worse. Even one mile over the speed limit may result in legal consequences.
Protection for your rights
Speed limits in Arizona do not allow for flexibility. You may receive a ticket for going one mile over the posted speed. Now that the state is installing zero-tolerance zones, the chances that you will receive a ticket for speeding increase. However, the law requires the ticketing officer to provide specific details to prove you are guilty of the crime. Will you be able to refute those details?
While you may think it unnecessary to have a lawyer to fight a speeding ticket, having an attorney by your side will provide you with professional assistance as you face the possibility of fines, points, perhaps even jail time, depending on how fast police say you were going. Your attorney will build a defense that challenges the evidence police claim to have against you, and work for the most positive resolution for your situation.