Southern Illinois Speeding Ticket Lawyers
Don’t Just Pay Your Ticket. Protect Your License, Record, and Insurance Rates.
- No Points Against Your Driver’s License
- Skip Court in Most Cases – We Appear on Your Behalf
- No Insurance Rate Increase From a Conviction
- Affordable Flat Fees – No Hourly Billing, No Hidden Costs
Call Today for a Free Speeding Ticket Review: (618) 316-7322
Southern Illinois Speeding Ticket Attorneys
A speeding ticket can feel minor. It is not. In Illinois, paying the ticket is the same as pleading guilty, and that puts a conviction on your public driving record. That conviction adds points, can raise your car insurance for years, and stays on your record where employers and insurers can see it. For some speeds, it is even a criminal charge.
Olson & Reeves defends speeding tickets across Southern Illinois every day. We handle a high volume of these cases in the courthouses along the I-57 and I-64 corridors, from Jefferson and Marion counties down through Williamson, Franklin, Jackson, Massac, and Pulaski. In most cases we resolve the ticket for an affordable flat fee, keep the points off your license, and appear in court for you so you never miss a day of work.
If you were stopped on Route 13, Route 15, or one of the interstates that cut through our region, send us your ticket and we will tell you exactly where you stand.
Why You Shouldn’t Just Pay Your Speeding Ticket
When you pay an Illinois speeding ticket, you plead guilty. The court enters a conviction, the Secretary of State adds points to your record, and that record follows you. The fine is usually the smallest part of the cost. The lasting damage is the conviction itself.
A conviction can mean higher insurance premiums for three to five years, points that move you closer to a license suspension, and a permanent mark on the public driving record that insurers, employers, and background checks pull. For drivers with a CDL or a job that requires driving, even one conviction can put your livelihood at risk.
A speeding ticket does not have to end in a conviction. With the right approach, many tickets can be reduced, dismissed, or resolved through court supervision, which keeps the conviction and the points off your record entirely.
Types of Illinois Speeding Tickets and Penalties
Not all speeding tickets are equal under Illinois law. The penalty depends on how far over the limit you were driving. Speeds up to 25 mph over the limit are petty offenses under 625 ILCS 5/11-601. Once you hit 26 mph over, the ticket becomes a criminal misdemeanor under 625 ILCS 5/11-601.5. The table below breaks it down.
| Speed Over Limit | How It’s Charged | Maximum Penalty | License Points | Supervision Possible? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–25 mph over | Petty offense (no criminal record) | Fine of $75–$1,000 plus court costs | 5–20 points | ✓ Yes |
| 26–34 mph over | Class B misdemeanor (criminal) | Up to 180 days jail + $1,500 fine | 50 points | First offense only |
| 35+ mph over | Class A misdemeanor (criminal) | Up to 364 days jail + $2,500 fine | 50 points | First offense only |
Court costs and assessments are added on top of any fine and vary by county, so the real cost of a petty ticket in Southern Illinois often runs several hundred dollars before insurance even reacts. The fine, though, is rarely the reason to fight a ticket. The points and the conviction are.
The Illinois Speeding Points System
The Illinois Secretary of State assigns demerit points every time you are convicted of a moving violation. The faster you were going over the limit, the more points you receive. Points are only added when a conviction is entered. They are not added when you receive court supervision, which is the central reason supervision is worth pursuing.
| Speed Over the Limit | Points Added to Your License |
|---|---|
| 1–10 mph over | 5 points |
| 11–14 mph over | 15 points |
| 15–25 mph over | 20 points |
| More than 25 mph over | 50 points |
Points alone do not suspend your license. Illinois suspends a license based on the number of convictions in a set window: three moving-violation convictions within 12 months for drivers 21 and older, or two within 24 months for drivers under 21. Once that threshold is met, the Secretary of State uses your total points to decide how long the suspension lasts. You can confirm the point value of any offense in the Secretary of State’s Illinois traffic offense and point schedule.
Court Supervision: Keeping the Ticket Off Your Record
Court supervision is the outcome we pursue on most speeding tickets. It is a sentence that holds your case open for a set period while you meet the court’s conditions. When you complete it, the charge is dismissed and no conviction is entered. That means no points hit your public driving record and your insurance rate is not affected the way a conviction would affect it.
Illinois limits how often you can use it. Under 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1, you can receive court supervision for moving violations no more than twice within any 12-month period. Supervision is also discretionary, which means the judge decides whether to grant it. Having an attorney present your record and your request the right way makes a real difference in whether supervision is granted and whether the charge can be reduced first.
Aggravated Speeding (26+ MPH Over) Is a Crime in Illinois
Many drivers are shocked to learn that a speeding ticket can be a criminal charge. Under 625 ILCS 5/11-601.5, driving 26 to 34 mph over the limit is a Class B misdemeanor, and 35 mph or more over is a Class A misdemeanor, the same class as a first-offense DUI. These charges carry possible jail time, fines up to $2,500, and a permanent criminal record on top of the driving consequences.
Court supervision can still be available on a first aggravated speeding offense, but there is an important limit: it is not available if the offense happened in an urban district. The good news for our region is that an urban district does not include the interstates, so a stop on I-57 or I-64 generally keeps that option open. The facts of each case matter, and these are charges you should never walk into court to handle alone. If you have been charged with aggravated speeding, contact our office before your court date.
Special Speeding Offenses That Carry Extra Risk
Some speeding charges come with their own rules, higher fines, and limits on court supervision. These are the ones we see most often in Southern Illinois.
Speeding in a School Zone
Speeding in a school zone is treated harshly under 625 ILCS 5/11-605. It carries a higher minimum fine, adds 20 points to your record, and court supervision is not available, which means a conviction is mandatory if you are found guilty. Because the supervision option is off the table, fighting the charge or negotiating a reduction is often the only way to protect your record.
Speeding in a Construction or Work Zone
Work zone speeding under 625 ILCS 5/11-605.1 carries a steep minimum fine, with a higher minimum when workers are present, plus 20 points on a conviction. These tickets are common along the construction stretches of I-57 and I-64, and the cameras and posted fines make them aggressively enforced. An attorney can challenge how the zone was marked and whether the enhanced penalty truly applies.
Aggravated Speeding in a School or Work Zone
Speeding 26 mph or more over the limit in a school or construction zone is the most serious speeding charge of all. It is a criminal misdemeanor and carries 55 points, more than reckless driving. A conviction here threatens your license and your record at the same time. These charges require careful, early handling.
Too Fast for Conditions and Reckless Driving
Officers sometimes write a speeding stop up as failure to reduce speed, too fast for conditions, or even reckless driving under 625 ILCS 5/11-503, which is a Class A misdemeanor. A high-speed ticket can also be charged up to reckless driving. We work to keep a speeding charge from becoming something worse and, where possible, to bring a more serious charge back down.
How a Speeding Ticket Raises Your Insurance
The fine on a speeding ticket is a one-time cost. The insurance increase is not. Industry data shows that a single speeding conviction raises an Illinois driver’s car insurance by roughly 25% on average, and that surcharge usually stays in place for three to five years.
Spread over several years, that increase often costs far more than the ticket and an attorney’s flat fee put together. That math is why fighting a ticket is usually the cheaper choice in the long run, not the more expensive one. Keep the conviction off your record, and the insurance increase never happens.
Speeding by the Numbers in Illinois
Speeding is not a small problem on Illinois roads, and law enforcement treats it accordingly. According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, speed was a factor in 45.3% of all fatal crashes in Illinois, along with 31.1% of total crashes and 35.2% of injury crashes, in its most recent annual report.
Nationally, the picture is the same. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that speeding was involved in 11,775 traffic deaths in a single recent year, about 29% of all U.S. traffic fatalities, and that 19% of drivers in fatal crashes were speeding at the time. You can review the full breakdown through the National Safety Council’s speeding data.
Because numbers like these drive enforcement, Southern Illinois sees heavy patrol along its interstate corridors. I-57 runs the length of the region, and counties like Pulaski, Massac, Williamson, and Jefferson generate a high volume of speeding citations every year. If you were stopped on one of these roads, you are far from alone, and you have options.
Counties Where We Handle Speeding Tickets
We defend speeding tickets in courthouses across Southern Illinois. A few of the counties we serve are below.
| Pulaski County | Jefferson County |
| Massac County | Marion County |
| Franklin County | Jackson County |
| Johnson County | Union County |
| Effingham County | Clinton County |
| Fayette County | Perry County |
| Hamilton County | Wayne County |
| Richland County | Wabash County |
| Williamson County | Saline County |
| Clay County | White County |
Don’t see your county? We handle speeding tickets throughout the region. Call (618) 316-7322 and we will tell you whether we cover your court.
Why Drivers Choose Olson & Reeves
Speeding tickets are high-volume work for our firm, and that experience works in your favor. We have handled more than 3,000 traffic tickets and saved our clients over $1,000,000 in avoided insurance increases. Our clients rate us 4.8 stars across more than 150 Google reviews.
Working with us is built to be simple. We charge flat fees with no hourly billing and no hidden costs, so you know the full price up front. No office visits are required. We can handle your ticket remotely with online document signing, and in most cases we appear in court for you so you never miss work.
Because we are in these Southern Illinois courthouses constantly, we know how each court handles its traffic call and what local prosecutors expect. That procedural familiarity, paired with steady community presence across the region, is what lets us move your case efficiently toward the best available result.
How Our Speeding Ticket Process Works
Step 1: Send us your ticket. Snap a photo of your citation and email it to jreeves@mtvernonlaw.com or text it to (801) 215-9669. Include your name and phone number.
Step 2: We review it for free. We look at your ticket and your driving record, then call you with your options and a flat-fee quote. No surprises.
Step 3: We handle the rest. Once you hire us, we file our appearance, deal with the court and the prosecutor, and in most cases you never set foot in a courtroom. We keep you updated and let you know the result as soon as your case is resolved.
What Our Traffic Clients Say
Korina S. – “I looked at several firms in the area and all had similar pricing for a speeding ticket defense. Sydney was very nice, knowledgeable and straightforward. The process went smoothly and I appreciated their help.”
Nancy T. – “Josh Reeves went above and beyond to get me a fair outcome on my traffic ticket case. He saved me from having to take off of work for the day for court and explained everything from start to finish. Go with the best.”
Samuel P. – “Very down to earth and to the point. No jumping through hoops, no games, just get in, get it done. Highly recommend them for anyone who gets a traffic fine.”
Kaylee B. – “I spoke with multiple attorneys regarding my traffic ticket and Olson & Reeves was the most upfront and reasonably priced. I couldn’t believe how easy and stress free the process was.”
Illinois Speeding Ticket FAQ
Should I just pay my Illinois speeding ticket?
No. Paying an Illinois speeding ticket counts as a guilty plea. It puts a conviction on your public driving record, adds points, and can raise your insurance for years. A lawyer can often get the ticket reduced or kept off your record through court supervision, usually for a flat fee that costs less than the long-term insurance increase.
Most drivers who pay the ticket never realize they pleaded guilty until the points and the premium increase show up. Before you pay, it is worth a free review to learn whether your ticket can be reduced, dismissed, or resolved without a conviction.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Illinois?
An Illinois speeding ticket adds 5 to 50 points to your record, depending on speed: 5 points for 1 to 10 mph over, 15 points for 11 to 14 over, 20 points for 15 to 25 over, and 50 points for more than 25 over. Points are only added if you are convicted, not if you receive court supervision.
You can verify the point value for any offense in the Illinois Secretary of State’s official traffic offense and point schedule. Because supervision avoids points entirely, keeping the conviction off your record is the most direct way to protect your license.
Will a speeding ticket suspend my license in Illinois?
One speeding ticket usually will not suspend your Illinois license. The Secretary of State suspends a license after three moving-violation convictions within 12 months, or two within 24 months if you are under 21. Court supervision is not a conviction, so it does not count toward that limit or add points.
This is why drivers who already have one or two recent tickets need to be especially careful with the next one. Each conviction moves you closer to a suspension. Resolving a new ticket through supervision or a reduction can keep you under the threshold.
What is court supervision and how does it keep a ticket off my record?
Court supervision is a sentence that holds your case open while you meet the court’s conditions. If you complete it, the charge is dismissed with no conviction entered, so no points hit your public driving record and your insurance is not affected. Illinois limits supervision to twice within any 12-month period.
Supervision is governed by 730 ILCS 5/5-6-1 and is granted at the judge’s discretion. How your record and request are presented affects whether it is granted, which is where having an attorney matters.
Is going 26 or 35 mph over the limit a crime in Illinois?
Yes. Driving 26 to 34 mph over the limit is a Class B misdemeanor, and 35 mph or more over is a Class A misdemeanor under Illinois law. These are criminal charges, not petty tickets. They carry possible jail time, fines up to $2,500, and a permanent criminal record in addition to the driving penalties.
These charges fall under 625 ILCS 5/11-601.5. Court supervision may still be possible on a first offense, but not if it happened in an urban district. A stop on an interstate like I-57 generally preserves that option.
How much will a speeding ticket raise my car insurance?
A single speeding conviction raises Illinois car insurance by roughly 25% on average, and the increase usually lasts three to five years. Over that time, the added premium often costs far more than the ticket and an attorney’s flat fee combined, which is why fighting the ticket usually saves money in the end.
Insurers treat a speeding conviction as a sign of higher risk and price your policy accordingly. Court supervision avoids the conviction, so it generally avoids the surcharge as well.
Do I have to go to court for a speeding ticket?
Often, no. For most petty speeding tickets in Southern Illinois, your attorney can appear in court on your behalf so you do not have to take time off work or travel. Some charges, such as aggravated speeding, may require you to appear. We tell you up front which rule applies to your case.
When you hire our firm, we file an appearance and handle the court dates for you wherever the court allows it. You work directly with our office throughout, and we keep you posted at each step.
How much does a speeding ticket lawyer cost?
Olson & Reeves handles speeding tickets for an affordable flat fee, not an hourly rate, so you know the full cost up front with no surprises. For most tickets, that flat fee is less than the multi-year insurance increase a conviction would cause. Contact us for a free review and a flat-fee quote on your ticket.
The right comparison is not the fee versus the fine. It is the fee versus the full cost of a conviction, including the insurance surcharge and the long-term hit to your record.
Can a speeding ticket be expunged in Illinois?
No. Illinois does not allow traffic convictions, including speeding, to be expunged or sealed. That is exactly why keeping the conviction off your record in the first place matters so much. The best protection is to fight the ticket or seek court supervision before any conviction is entered.
There is one narrow exception: a reckless driving offense committed before age 25 may be eligible. For ordinary speeding convictions, prevention is the only real remedy. If you have questions about clearing other parts of your record, see our Southern Illinois expungement attorneys page.
Do you handle out-of-state drivers ticketed on I-57?
Yes. We regularly represent out-of-state drivers cited on I-57, I-64, and other Southern Illinois highways. In most cases we can resolve your ticket without you returning to Illinois, and you will not need to visit our office. We handle the case remotely with online document signing.
A speeding conviction in Illinois can still follow you home and affect your record and insurance in your own state. We can step in, appear for you where the court allows, and work to keep the ticket from becoming a conviction.
Get Your Free Speeding Ticket Review Today
Don’t pay your ticket and accept the points without knowing your options. Send us your citation and our Southern Illinois speeding ticket lawyers will review it at no cost and tell you exactly how we can help. You can also explore our related work on Southern Illinois traffic tickets, CDL traffic tickets, and DUI defense.
Call (618) 316-7322 or send your ticket to jreeves@mtvernonlaw.com to get started.