A traffic ticket can affect your life in a variety of ways – you can face large fines, be forced to deal with a license suspension, or even face jail time. Don’t let these consequences impact your ability to live a normal life; seek legal representation immediately.
If you live in Atlantic County, New Jersey, and receive a traffic ticket for any reason, an attorney well-versed in traffic tickets will be able to help you as your ticket moves through the legal system. Atlantic County traffic ticket attorney Joseph Lombardo can help you remove points from your license, reduce the amount you’ll pay in fines, and, depending on the circumstances surrounding your ticket, may be able to get the charges on the ticket dropped. Get in touch with the Lombardo Law Group, LLC, today by calling (609) 445-4300.
Getting Points for Traffic Offenses Added to Your License in NJ
Committing traffic offenses often results in the addition of points to your license, as well as other penalties such as fines, jail, and license suspension. Points for each offense add up and can culminate in a suspension and other consequences if you reach a certain amount. However, there are ways to get points removed.
Traffic violations can add varying amounts of points to your license, depending on the severity of the offense. The following traffic offenses carry the accompanying point assignments:
- Careless driving: 2
- Failure to give a proper signal: 2
- Failure to yield while leaving or entering a highway: 2
- Operating a motorized bike on a restricted highway: 2
- Leaving the scene of an accident where there is no injury: 2
- Unlawful use of median strip on the Atlantic City Expressway: 2
- Moving against traffic on the Atlantic City Expressway: 2
- Speeding 1 to 14 miles over the speed limit: 2
- Improper U-turn: 3
- Speeding 14 to 29 miles above the speed limit: 4
- Improper passing on the Atlantic City Expressway: 4
- Improper passing of a school bus: 5
- Racing on a highway: 5
- Speeding 30 miles or more above the speed limit: 5
- Tailgating: 5
- Reckless driving: 5
- Leaving the scene of an accident with an injury: 8
If you get six points on your license, then you will have to pay a surcharge of $150, plus $25 for each additional point above six. Getting 12 points on your license means that your license will be suspended, which also means that you’ll have to pay a restoration fee to be able to drive again. Driving with a suspended license carries additional penalties, on top of the reason for which the license was suspended in the first place. If you drive with a suspended license, you may be sent to jail for up to five years.
How to Get Points Removed from Your License in Atlantic County, NJ
One way to get points removed from your license is to take a class. You may participate in a driver improvement program (DIP), which teaches techniques for avoiding crashes and contributing to safe conditions on the road. Fully participating in a defensive driving class can result in the removal of three points. Participants will have to pay a $75 administrative fee to be able to take the defensive driving class.
Young drivers that would like to remove points from their license may also participate in a probationary driver program (PDP). This program only applies to drivers that have their driver’s license permits and that have received four or more points on their licenses. While the program costs $75 for an administrative fee, participating will remove three points from the licenses of participants.
Committing any traffic violations within one year of the completion of either program will result in license suspension.
Drivers that would like to remove points from their licenses can also simply refrain from committing more offenses and wait. Three points are removed for each year that goes by without any additional suspensions or violations.
What to Do When Issued a Traffic Ticket
Knowing how to speak to police officers while they’ve pulled you over can lessen the offense that the officer issues or can prevent the issuance of a ticket altogether. When a police officer pulls you over while you’re driving, it is important to be polite for the entire encounter. Don’t argue with a police officer; if you believe that they are wrong, you will be able to present a case for yourself later in court. As the officer issues a ticket, refrain from saying anything that will incriminate you. You are able to ask a police officer why they are issuing a ticket as they ask you questions, and you are also able to ask for a warning instead of a ticket.
If and when you have been issued a ticket, you will have to decide whether it is worth it to try to fight the ticket in court. If you accept the ticket, you will have to face consequences for an offense that you may not have committed. If you decide to fight the ticket, you will have to spend time preparing for and going to court. You will also have to pay for an attorney — this is advisable, as an attorney will help you fully understand the charges attached to the ticket, as well as any possible consequences.
Call Atlantic County, New Jersey Traffic Ticket Attorney Joseph Lombardo Today
If you decide to fight a traffic ticket in court in Atlantic County, New Jersey, you should seek the assistance of New Jersey traffic ticket lawyer Joseph Lombardo. The Lombardo Law Group, LLC, has been helping individuals with their traffic tickets for almost two decades. They can help you, too. To learn more about how Joseph Lombardo can aid your fight against a traffic ticket, call (609) 445-4300 today.