You’ll frequently hear a traffic court lawyer say that it isn’t your first traffic violation that causes major problems, but the second, third, fourth, and fifth violations. When you have multiple traffic violations on your driving record, the ramifications start to become more serious and far-reaching. It steadily becomes more important to fight a traffic ticket or moving violation in the traffic court.
Yet, few Nassau County residents think to contact a traffic court lawyer to help with these successive violations. As we downplay the complications of a single ticket, it’s possible to forget that a third ticket could mean suspension of your license or inability to operate a commercial vehicle – plus other indirect effects! If you are facing multiple traffic violations, you should understand the likely penalties in Nassau County.
Points on Your License from a Single Violation
All states have devised a system for recording and tracking the traffic violations of drives on the road. New York’s system works by assigning each traffic violation a number of points. These points are applied against a driver’s license, and if/when the driver accumulates too many points, there are harsh repercussions.
For example, a ticket for speeding results in three points against your license, but a ticket for speeding more 11 or more miles per hour above the posted limit is four points against your license. Similarly, reckless driving is five points, improper cell phone use is five points, and failure to obey a traffic signal is three points. The traffic violation with the most points is speeding more than 40 miles per hour over the posted limited, which is 11 points against the driver’s license. For a list of common traffic violations and the number of points in New York, visit this site.
Accumulation of Points from Multiple Violations
A single speeding ticket or ticket for failure to yield at a right-of-way isn’t going to land you in serious trouble, and it isn’t likely to require the attention or advice of a traffic ticket lawyer. You’ll be required to pay a fine to the traffic court and move on.
However, when you cross the threshold of six points on your New York driver’s license, there are other negative consequences.
A driver with six points or more in any 18-month period is required to pay an additional fee. The Driver Responsibility Assessment fee is $100 annual fee that you must pay for three straight years. That means the total Assessment is $300 – a large amount to pay on top of the fine directly related to your traffic ticket. The ramifications become bigger when a driver has 11 points or more against his or her license.
Suspension or Loss of Your License
In New York, if you have 11 or more point against your license in any 18-month period, then the traffic court can suspend your driver’s license. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle in New York with a suspended or revoked driver’s license. Further, the traffic court has some direction to set the suspension for a definite period of time or indefinite; typically, the timeframe is based on the severity of the traffic violations.
If a recent ticket or moving violation would put you at or over this 11-point milestone, a traffic court lawyer can help you fight the offense. Not only can a lawyer argue to have the ticket thrown out or the number of points on your license reduced, legal assistance can include enrollment in a Point and Insurance Reduction Program. Participation in these programs can result in lowering the number of points against your New York license.
Other Effects of Multiple Violations
Points against your license aren’t the only concern when you face a second, third, or even fourth traffic violation. You are going to pay the price for these violations in other ways. First and foremost, you will see a negative impact on your insurance premiums and coverage.
Your motor vehicle insurance company will also track any traffic tickets and violations. These companies impose a similar, but entirely separate, points system designed to penalize drivers for multiple traffic violations. While the system for each insurance company is different, the impact is the same – an increase in your premiums.
Second, a bad track record of traffic violations can impact your ability to procure motor vehicle insurance in the future. A company may be unwilling to insure a notoriously reckless driver or charge a very high premium for a high-risk driver. As it is illegal to drive in New York without car insurance, this predicament has other legal implications.
Finally, a looming suspension of your license can impact everything from employment to dating. If you can’t drive, you can’t commute to work in your car, run errands for employment purposes, or drive the company car. If your job depends on visiting customers or multiple locations, you are facing significant difficulty.
As well, a suspended license in Long Island or other parts of Nassau County can make it complicated to attend social events, go to the beach, take a vacation, or go on a date. Suddenly, the implications of your multiple traffic tickets are huge. A Nassau County traffic court lawyer can help. Contact an experienced Nassau lawyer at Jeffrey Bettan Attorney at Law. Our office is always available when you call (516)-642-6636.
