According to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), driving too fast for conditions or exceeding lawful speed is the number one cause of traffic accidents throughout the state. In 2020, nearly 16% of all car crashes resulted because of a speeding driver. Despite those statistics, many people are surprised by just how many Arizona speeding ticket offenses are issued every year.
Having to pay a speeding ticket is bad enough, but the consequences of speeding can reach even further, resulting in criminal charges or increased insurance premiums. Find out more about how a speeding ticket can affect your car insurance from the criminal defense attorneys at Lerner and Rowe Law Group.
Understanding the MVD Points Assessment
Car insurance companies decide how much your premium will be based on a Points Assessment in addition to other factors, including your gender, age, credit score, and accident history. If you are convicted of or forfeit bail for a moving traffic violation, the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) assesses a certain number of points against you. Different moving violations carry different point values. See the chart below for a summary of offenses.
Understanding the MVD Points Assessment
Car insurance companies decide how much your premium will be based on a Points Assessment in addition to other factors, including your gender, age, credit score, and accident history. If you are convicted of or forfeit bail for a moving traffic violation, the Arizona Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) assesses a certain number of points against you. Different moving violations carry different point values. See the chart below for a summary of offenses.
| Moving Violation | Points |
| DUI | 8 |
| Extreme DUI | 8 |
| Aggressive Driving | 8 |
| Reckless Driving | 8 |
| Leaving the scene of an accident (hit and run) | 6 |
| Failure to stop for a traffic signal, stop sign or to yield the right-of-way, resulting in death | 6 |
| Failure to stop for a traffic signal, stop sign or to yield the right-of-way, resulting in serious injury | 4 |
| Speeding* | 3 |
| Driving over or parking in a gore area (the triangular space often found between a fork in the road, such as on a highway exit ramp) | 3 |
| Other moving violations | 2 |
*If you are found to be speeding more than 20 miles per hour over the posted speed limit or driving more than 85 miles per hour on a highway, you could be charged with criminal speeding. Criminal speeding is a misdemeanor and can result in up to 30 days of jail time and fines up to $500.
Car insurance companies aren’t the only ones looking at points assessments, either. For example, if you amass 8 or more points on your driving record in a 12-month period, the MVD can require you to attend Traffic Survival School (TSS) and you may lose your driving privileges for up to a year.
How Car Insurance Companies Use the Points Assessment
Car insurance companies may have their own unique points systems for calculating insurance premiums, but the information contained in your MVD Points Assessment is definitely taken into account by your insurer.
Your Points Assessment can be accessed via your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR). A standard online MVR will show all points accumulated in the past 39 months, whereas an in-person report request can show points from up to 10 years prior. In most cases, car insurance companies will look at points accrued from Arizona speeding tickets in the past three to five years.
Surchargeable Incidents
The moving violations found in your Points Assessment or MVR are considered by insurance companies to be surchargeable incidents. This simply means that your auto insurer justifies adding certain surcharges to your monthly premium based on your history of speeding tickets or other moving violations. (Surcharges may also be assessed for car accidents for which you were at fault).
Most insurance companies keep a surcharge schedule that breaks down how much each surchargeable incident will add to a customer’s premium.
How Much Will My Insurance Go Up After an Arizona Speeding Ticket?
There’s no one formula for determining just how much your insurance premiums will increase after you’re convicted of a moving violation like an Arizona speeding ticket. To find out exactly how much your rates will go up, you’ll need to contact your auto insurance agent directly.
In more general terms, websites such as Bankrate, Forbes, Nerd Wallet, the Zebra, carinsurance.com, and insure.com report that Arizona drivers who receive a speeding ticket will see their insurance premiums increase by 25% to 35%. This could cost the average Arizona driver with full coverage anywhere from an extra $32 to $45 per month ($384 to $540 annually). You may see this premium increase take effect the next time your insurance policy is set to renew.
Getting a speeding ticket may also result in the loss of any safe driving discounts currently on your policy, resulting in even higher premiums. If you accumulate multiple serious speeding tickets, especially in a short period of time, you could run the risk of your auto insurance provider canceling your policy altogether.
How Can I Beat an Arizona Speeding Ticket?
If you believe you have been wrongly charged with speeding, criminal speeding, or reckless or aggressive driving, Lerner and Rowe Law Group may be able to help. Just because you signed an Arizona speeding ticket when you got pulled over doesn’t mean you’re guilty. With the representation of an experienced criminal defense attorney, you can contest your speeding ticket without having to step foot inside a courtroom.
Note: If you signed or were personally served with a civil traffic ticket, it’s crucial that you appear for the listed court date. Simply ignoring it can result in a warrant being issued for your arrest.
Consulting an attorney after a traffic citation can help you keep your driving record clean, avoid costly fines and fees, and keep your car insurance premium low. To find out how Lerner and Rowe Law Group can help you and to arrange your free and confidential consultation, call us at 602-667-7777. Our legal team is available 24/7 by phone or online via LiveChat. Alternatively, you can fill out this form and have your case details forwarded directly to our office.
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