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What is Georgia’s Super Speeder law?

On Behalf of | Mar 31, 2020 | Criminal Defense

When getting a speeding ticket, many people choose to pay the fine without argument — even if they do not agree with the charge. However, while a one-time ticket fee may be manageable in the short term, a traffic violation on a driver’s record may have costly consequences in the long term. In addition to the expense of the citation itself, a speeding conviction may lead to points added against the driver’s license, higher insurance premiums, temporary loss of driving privileges and even imprisonment.

In Georgia, speeding can be especially expensive thanks to the state’s Super Speeder law. This law adds an extra $200 fee to speeding citations and drivers who fail to pay the fine quickly risk suspension of their license. Unfortunately, this type of ticket is far from uncommon. Super Speeder fines added up to over $21 million in 2018 alone.

What is a Super Speeder?

The Super Speeder law targets motorists who drive 75 miles per hour or more on a two-lane divided road or 85 miles per hour on any highway, no matter what the posted limit is. When a driver pays a citation, he or she essentially admits being guilty of driving at the speed on the ticket. If that speed qualifies as a Super Speeder violation, the Department of Diver Services mails a separate fine of $200. The driver then has 120 days to pay the extra fine to avoid license suspension.

Does a Super Speeder conviction come with extra license points?

The DDS assigns points based on the number of miles per hour over the speed limit a driver was going and does not add extra points for a Super Speeder citation. However, breaking the Super Speeder law may result in as many as six points added to a driver’s license as well as a misdemeanor conviction. Getting 15 points for traffic violations within a 24-month period may result in a driver’s license suspension.