Have you been issued a traffic ticket in New Jersey?
When clients receive a traffic ticket, they will often ask, “What can I do?” You have some options. You can pay the ticket, but in New Jersey, every speeding ticket results in points. The point penalty can be between two and five points, depending on the alleged speed you were going. If you do pay a speeding ticket, there will be points assessed to your driving record, raising your insurance and accruing New Jersey state surcharges. An experienced attorney can make sure that if any device was used, such as a radar or laser, it was properly calibrated and the officer who used it was properly certified. Attorneys at Mattleman, Weinroth & Miller, P.C. will exhaust all possibilities to get the ticket dismissed or work with the prosecutor in order to have the ticket amended so you can avoid those points.
What are the penalties for traffic tickets in New Jersey?
Clients will often call and ask what the penalties are for traffic tickets in New Jersey. The answer varies and it depends on the offense. For example, careless driving is a two-point violation.
The New Jersey speeding violation point system:
- 1-14 miles per hour over the speed limit is a 2-point violation
- 15-30 miles per hour over the speed limit is a 4-point violation
- 30 miles per hour over the speed limit is a 5-point violation
Every ticket comes with a set of fines associated with the violation. If you are issued points on your driving record, your insurance premium will rise and you will be issued New Jersey state surcharges.
What Is Reckless Driving?
Reckless driving is a willful or wanton disregard for the safety of others on the road. If you knowingly or purposefully did something to put other people or yourself at risk, you could face this charge. It is always issued in connection with a ticket for DUI and occasionally for speeding in excess of 100 miles an hour. A reckless driving ticket comes with severe penalties. The fines are pretty excessive, but more importantly, the judge has the discretion to suspend your license for an indeterminate period of time.
Can traffic tickets be plea-bargained down in New Jersey?
In New Jersey, most tickets can be plea-bargained, but with some limitations. Some more severe tickets, such as DWIs, cannot be plea-bargained. Prosecutors are limited in their ability to negotiate. They can only plea-bargain to a ticket that is related to the original offense. A speeding ticket, for instance, cannot be plea-bargained to something like having your brake light out.
Do I have to appear in court for a traffic ticket?
Traffic tickets in New Jersey, whether they’re handwritten or electronically printed, indicate whether or not you have to appear in court. Certain tickets, such as a DWI or a cell phone ticket cannot be resolved without a court appearance.
What happens if I don’t go to my court appearance or pay my fine?
A few things can happen at the discretion of the court. The court can send a notice stating that you must pay the fine with an added penalty. It also has the power to enter a failure to appear, which can result in your license being suspended, a warrant issued for your arrest, and a bail being ordered. If your license is suspended, you will have to resolve the matter and pay a restoration fee to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission in order to get your license restored. If a warrant is issued and you are stopped by the police for even a minor traffic offense, you can be taken into custody and have to post bail. If bail is ordered, you’ll have to post that bail in order to resolve the matter.
What Are Motor Vehicle Surcharges?
Certain offenses in New Jersey result in a bill from the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. These can range from as low as $100 a year for three years to an excess of $1,500 a year for three years. Failure to pay these surcharges can result in your license being suspended. Interest and penalties can accumulate and you will have to pay those in order to get your license restored. Failure to pay can also result in possible civil actions to collect them.
Can You Help Me Restore My Drivers License?
In New Jersey, your license can be restored in most cases. One of the most important steps to getting your license restored is figuring out exactly why it was suspended in the first place. Your license can be suspended for an unpaid fine, failure to appear in court, accumulation of points, unpaid surcharges, and numerous other things.
Call an attorney.
The attorneys at Mattleman, Weinroth & Miller, P.C. know New Jersey traffic laws and the nuances of traffic courts in all counties. If you have any issues, from a simple traffic ticket to a reckless driving charge, contact an attorney at Mattleman, Weinroth & Miller, P.C. to receive the best representation and counsel. Don’t let a simple traffic violation financially burden you and stain your driving record.