27 April, 2020 New Jersey Driver Getting a Traffic Ticket in New York

New York and New Jersey are neighboring states and a significant number of New Jersey drivers get traffic tickets in New York State. New Jersey has an idiosyncratic policy of applying two points to your NJ license for New York ticket (there are some exceptions). This means for example if you get a ticket in New York for going 87 in a 65 mph zone (22 mph over the limit) you will get 2 points on your NJ license instead of the 6 points you would get as a New York driver. The benefits of this are somewhat misleading.

The most expensive “fine” for getting a traffic ticket is the subsequent increases in your insurance premiums. When your insurance company checks your driving record they do not look at how many points are on your driving record but at the violations listed on your driving record. So if your insurance company sees that you were convicted of going 87 mph in a 65 mph zone they will raise your rates the same way irrelevant of whether NJ decides this is a 2 point or 6 point violation.

The amount of points is important in connection with paying NJ additional fees or possible suspension. This does not apply for most NJ drivers.

The New York Department of Motor Vehicles has something called a Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee (DRA). This is a separate fee above the fine for the ticket for anyone who gets 6 points in span of 18 months. The exact timeline and calculation is for another blog posting. Suffice to say for now, if a New Jersey driver gets for example an 87/65 mph speeding ticket or any other combination of 6 points in New York, they would have to pay a DRA fee just like a NY driver. If they fail to pay the DRA, their privileges to drive in New York will be suspended and they would be subject to arrest and criminal charges if they continue to drive in New York.

New Jersey drivers often assume that getting a ticket in New York is not something that needs to be taken seriously. Based on the outline above, most New Jersey drivers should in fact take NY tickets seriously. It may make sense for NJ drivers to retain a NY traffic ticket attorney. Typically the legal fee pays for itself in the reduction of fines and DRA fees. More importantly, you also end up with a less serious violation on your NJ driving record, which will help for your insurance. New York is also different than NJ, in that in NY, your attorney can go to court instead of you. This means you can get reduce your NY ticket without ever having to stop foot in New York.

Most traffic ticket law firms including the Benjamin Goldman Law Office, offer a free consultation. If you are a NJ driver with a NY ticket it is probably prudent that you reach out to a traffic lawyer to discuss your options before you take any action.

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Disclaimer: All the content of this website has been prepared by Benjamin Goldman Law Office PC for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information on this website shall not be construed as an offer to represent you, nor is it intended to create, nor shall the receipt of such information constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Our hope is that you will find the information useful and informative, and we would be happy to communicate with you and answer any questions you may have about our legal services. Readers should not act upon the information on this website, or decide not to act based upon the information on this website, without first seeking appropriate professional counsel from an attorney licensed in the home state of the drivers license of the person who received the relevant traffic citation. 

By: Benjamin Goldman Law Office 189 Southwoods Drive Monticello, NY 12701 (845) 391-3615 http://www.upstatenewyorktickets.com.