Legal Question in Traffic Law in North Carolina

You may have gotten a reduction to Improper Equipment but it was most definitely not removed from your record. As to your new ticket - depends what it gets reduced to (there's a difference between a reduction to 78/70 and 53/ 45) and what else is on your record. A better option would be to get another IE. It's a bit more expensive than a straight reduction but you can have as many of these on your record a a ADA is willing to give you with no effect on your license or insurance. Of course, if cost is a factor for you, you could try not speeding in the future.