What could happen if you plead guilty to a traffic ticket?
The Department of Motor Vehicles has a point system based on the number of miles per hour you are convicted of traveling over the speed limit. Points affect your driving privileges for the next eighteen months and will be visible on your record for years, meaning it will affect any subsequent charges you face. If you are convicted of traveling between 1 and 10 mph over the limit you will receive 3 points. If you are traveling between:
• 11 and 20 mph over the limit
you will receive 4 points;
• 21 and 30 mph over the limit
you will receive 6 points;
• 31 and 40 mph over the limit
you will receive 8 points;
• anything more than 40 mph
over the limit and you will
receive 11 points.
If you do receive 11 points or more in 18 months, you will face a mandatory suspension/revocation hearing. The only defense available to you at that point would be to claim that you were not the actual driver who committed the violations. You cannot request a DMV hearing simply to ask for a waiver of the DMV suspension.
Three (3) speeding convictions during any 18-month period will result in mandatory license revocation no matter how many points are assessed.
If you accumulate 6 or more points in an 18-month period, or are convicted of a drug /alcohol violation, or refuse a chemical test, DMV will charge you with a Driver Responsibility Assessment in addition to any fines and surcharges you are required to pay the Court in connection with your court proceedings. The assessments are billed every year for three years starting one year after your conviction. The charge is $100 per year for the first 6 points and $25 for every point thereafter. If you are convicted of a drug or alcohol violation, the annual assessment is $250.
Failure to pay your DMV assessment means license suspension. The same is true for any other ignored violation. And driving without a license is a misdemeanor. Remember, misdemeanors are crimes that may result in jail and should be disclosed on employment applications.
Except for points assessed by Ontario and Quebec, out-of-state points are not added to your NYS driver record. Accumulating points in another jurisdiction may, however, result in a loss of your right to drive in that jurisdiction. It is best to contact an attorney in that area to resolve the matter for you.
Insurance companies have point systems or surcharge assessment systems that are different from the DMV driver point system. A guilty plea may raise your insurance rate. To determine how much, give your insurance company a call about how it handles traffic violations.
It is not a good idea to plead guilty to a traffic ticket without counsel. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and it is important to preserve that privilege. An attorney can help you reduce or even eliminate the number of points you'll receive. And you may not have to appear in court. He or she can reduce or eliminate any criminal ramifications you may face too. So call a lawyer. Your driving privileges will be preserved and your long-term expenses reduced.
• 11 and 20 mph over the limit
you will receive 4 points;
• 21 and 30 mph over the limit
you will receive 6 points;
• 31 and 40 mph over the limit
you will receive 8 points;
• anything more than 40 mph
over the limit and you will
receive 11 points.
If you do receive 11 points or more in 18 months, you will face a mandatory suspension/revocation hearing. The only defense available to you at that point would be to claim that you were not the actual driver who committed the violations. You cannot request a DMV hearing simply to ask for a waiver of the DMV suspension.
Three (3) speeding convictions during any 18-month period will result in mandatory license revocation no matter how many points are assessed.
If you accumulate 6 or more points in an 18-month period, or are convicted of a drug /alcohol violation, or refuse a chemical test, DMV will charge you with a Driver Responsibility Assessment in addition to any fines and surcharges you are required to pay the Court in connection with your court proceedings. The assessments are billed every year for three years starting one year after your conviction. The charge is $100 per year for the first 6 points and $25 for every point thereafter. If you are convicted of a drug or alcohol violation, the annual assessment is $250.
Failure to pay your DMV assessment means license suspension. The same is true for any other ignored violation. And driving without a license is a misdemeanor. Remember, misdemeanors are crimes that may result in jail and should be disclosed on employment applications.
Except for points assessed by Ontario and Quebec, out-of-state points are not added to your NYS driver record. Accumulating points in another jurisdiction may, however, result in a loss of your right to drive in that jurisdiction. It is best to contact an attorney in that area to resolve the matter for you.
Insurance companies have point systems or surcharge assessment systems that are different from the DMV driver point system. A guilty plea may raise your insurance rate. To determine how much, give your insurance company a call about how it handles traffic violations.
It is not a good idea to plead guilty to a traffic ticket without counsel. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and it is important to preserve that privilege. An attorney can help you reduce or even eliminate the number of points you'll receive. And you may not have to appear in court. He or she can reduce or eliminate any criminal ramifications you may face too. So call a lawyer. Your driving privileges will be preserved and your long-term expenses reduced.
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