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AAA "Bond" for speeding violations?
Just heard from friends that AAA offers a type of "bond" as some sort of insurance on the highway.
Anyone know anything about this - sounds a little off to me - Supposedly it's used if cited and fined, allowing the traveler to pay when the traveler returns home, therefore saving time and money while away on a trip. Hope that makes sense, it really didn't to me, and I would greatly appreciate any information you may have. (yes I guess I can call my AAA office tomorrow) Thank you in advance. |
If you're arrested for speeding, AAA will pay a certain amount for your bond.
It's a throwback to the old days when local municipalities would set speed traps, arrest travelers, and basically extort a bribe. I doubt it's used very often anymore. |
Thanks for the quick reply Gekko.
Very interesting. Have any idea how much it covers? Might possibly be worth the cost of AAA membership, especially in sleepy towns that depend on fines for city revenue. Our friends said they have an actual certificate of sorts that can be surrendered when needed. Would be interested in hearing more about this, and any first hand stories anyone? |
Sounds interesting, but there's a better form of "speeding fine" insurance that is absolutely free. It's called "keeping your speed below the legal limit". It really works.
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You haven't mentioned WHY you would find such a benefit appealing...
But, here are the details: "Nationwide Bail Bond Protection Your AAA membership includes up to $5,000 in bail bond protection, provided that the violation is for an offense related to a motor vehicle law or ordinance. Charges for driving under the influence of intoxicating liquors, drugs or narcotics, failure to appear or prior traffic violations for driving on a suspended or revoked driver's license, reckless driving, hit and run, failure to present evidence of insurance, illegal use or falsification of license or registration, or attempting to elude or eluding a police officer are not covered under your AAA bail bond benefit. For amounts of up to $500 most jurisdictions will accept your membership card in lieu of cash in many states. Members must notify AAA as soon as possible after using this bond. The $5,000 bail bond certificate is not a bond in itself but entitles the member to have a bond posted by the General Insurance Company of America in amounts up to $5,000 for any traffic violation other than the exclusions noted above." In most jurisdictions, you're not arrested for speeding (as in locked up so as to require bail to get out until you appear in court) unless you're charged with wreckless driving, driving to endanger, driving under the influence, drug possession, etc., which would be excluded anyway from AAA coverage. In the olden days, you might be held if you couldn't pay the fine in cash with an out of state license/registration. But, these days, you can pay with a credit card, and most jurisdictions let you go with a ticket, as you'll not be able to re-register your vehicle or renew your license in your home state if you have anything "outstanding" due to the states all being connected to the big computer. As Patrick noted, the very best way to save time and money is to drive responsibly, and just not be doing what you are not supposed to be doing... Some years ago, someone posted "Don't go to ... as they go after unsuspecting visitors and give them speeding tickets." Obviously, they "go after" speeders - not "unsuspecting visitors". We've been AAA members for years and years - for the TripTix, maps, tourguides. The hotel and attraction discounts are useful now and again. Once we got locked out of the car, one day our car did not start (on a road trip), and one other time we inadvertently ran out of gas (they charge for the gas now...). |
I have a little card from AAA that says, among other things that AAA guarantees my appearance in any court outside of my home state "when arrested for violation of any motor vehicle law or ordinance (except when driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or narcotics)....Payment of fine or forfeiture not to exceed $200 is guaranteed" if I fail to "appear in court at the time of trial..."
I keep it in my wallet, but really doubt that I'll ever use it. For one thing, speeding tickets and the like are not normally cause for arrest, but are a citation, not involving a trial. Bond only comes into play if there's bail pending a trial. |
Woah, interesting stuff.
Thanks for the replies. Why am I interested? Planning a fall road trip of many miles, with friends *warning* us above the above situations. Just in conversation, no outstanding warrants in this family :) However, one of us does tend to have more of a lead foot... |
Some, if not all, states have laws that qualify speeding over a certain limit (25MPH or so) to be wreckless driving. It's not just a simple speeding ticket anymore. A bailbond may be necessary in those circumstances, and if you can't easily come up with a few hundred dollars (from ATM or whatever), then the AAA "protection" may be useful.
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If you like to drive fast, get a radar detector <b>and learn how to use it</b>. That's your best protection.
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I stand corrected by rkkwan. I know this will make me sound like a dreadful wimp(which I am, as far as driving is concerned), but driving fast enough to pass that reckless driving threshhold isn't within my cowardly experience, so I'd forgotten about that possibility.
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Clarification: I was responding to rkkwan's first posting, not endorsing the radar detector approach. (See, I told you I was a wimp.)
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KT - Actually, don't be so sure. It's not hard to go 25-30 above speed limit. For example, some states have ridiculously low construction zone speed on their interstates. Like 40MPH on an otherwise 65MPH stretch. Traffic may still be going at 70MPH. Do you do slow down to 45-50 or do you stay at 70MPH? If latter, then you're doing 30MPH above limit. [And many states double the speeding fine in construction zone.]
It's not like that in most areas, but I've certainly seen such low limit zones in many states. |
"Ridiculously" low construction zone limits? I know that many of us hate to slow down on the interstate when we're in a hurry to get where we're going, but those speedlimits are to protect the men on the other side of those barriers. That hardhat belongs to someone's husband, son, or father. Think about that before you choose to maintain that 70 mph speed through a posted construction zone.
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You should check ahead...radar detectors, etc., are illegal in many, many states...
It's really "easier" to obey the speed limits - 40mph is just NOT "ridiculously low". That limit is for the safety of all... Just because others seem to be getting away with defying the posted limits, and you have a nifty detector, doesn't mean you and they won't all be gathered up by plane/helicopter just down the road... It's ever so sad when a highway construction worker (husband and father of children) is sensely killed "improving" your travels... Especially since it does not take significanly longer to arrive where you're going at 40MPH versus 70MPH. |
While I agree that construction zone speed limits are there for a reason, it only makes sense to argue with reasonably accurate statements.
Especially since it does not take significanly longer to arrive where you're going at 40MPH versus 70MPH. makes no sense. It takes nearly twice as long to go a distance at 40MPH vs. 70MPH. That doesn't matter much in a 1-mile-long construction zone, but when you pass through several 10-mile-long construction zones on a long trip it can add more than an hour to your time, which is not insignificant. I'm not saying that justifies speeding, just saying that it's an invalid argument in this particular case. And wanderluster - in case it wasn't clear from what was posted before - this bond insurance does not pay traffic violation fines. It only covers bond to get you out of jail if you are incarcerated on the specific charges they cover. :) |
So the value of this bond service still depends on one major issue. Are you thinking you might actually be put in jail for one of your driving violations? Which one are you thinking you might break, since speeding is NOT one of the jailable offences?
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Just because it made me smile, not to wag a finger:
When you drive in a dangerous way, it is "reckless" driving but it might NOT be "wreckless"!!! In fact, reckless driving may well lead to a wreck! ;-) |
Some of you guys are totally missing my point.
Let me state this again. - Speed limit on the highway was 65MPH. - Construction zone limit is 40MPH. - The rest of the traffic is going at 70MPH. What speed are you going to drive? It has nothing to do with whether it ethical, legal, smart or whatever? What speed is safe for one to drive? And let me tell you there are plenty of states that have 40MPH limit through a long construction zone even if there is no workers working. ["Better" states will have lights, or say the lower limit "when workers present", but not all the time. For example, Louisiana will put 40MPH signs for 30 miles of I-10 with no one working.] The question I raised is real and true? So, answer my above question in that scenario. What speed do you drive? |
Ha, thanks, Cassandra. ;)
And sorry about my punctuations in my most recent post. Several of the question marks should be "full-stops". :) |
0rkkwan: in a 40 mph construction zone, i will drive no faster than maybe 45mph even if the traffic around me is going 70.
years ago, i was on the nj turnpike and they had closed the far left lane with just cones and posted a speed zone of 45 mph. there were no workers in the closed lane, no vehicles whatsoever. just cops sitting a few miles up the road pulling people over going too fast. unfortunately, i was going with the flow of traffic at about 60-65 mph and was one of the unlucky ones pulled over (there were many of us). so even if no one is there, i'll still travel at the stated speed limit, maybe 5 mph over. no need to get a ticket. if people are working in the zone, i'm even more careful. and if i slow down more than those around me want to go, then screw them. |
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