While receiving a traffic ticket in New York may seem like a minor inconvenience, the consequences can haunt you for years to come. The financial repercussions can be significant, including substantial fines, surcharges, and increased premiums. Additionally, points can be added to your driving record, impacting your overall driving history. Navigating these complexities effectively often requires the expertise of our seasoned Smithtown Traffic Ticket Lawyers. Please continue reading as we explore how our legal team can help protect your driving record.

How Does the Point System Work in New York?

First and foremost, it’s crucial to understand that the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) assigns points to your driver’s license for specific traffic violations.

  • Speeding 1-10 mph over limit: 3 points
  • Speeding 11-20 mph over limit: 4 points
  • Speeding 21-30 mph over the limit: 6 points
  • Speeding 31-40 mph over the limit: 8 points
  • Speeding 41+ mph over the limit: 11 points
  • Reckless driving: 5 points
  • Failure to stop for a school bus: 5 points
  • Not yielding the right of way: 3 points
  • Running a red light: 3 points

It should be noted that points are not added to your record until you have been convicted of the violation. Points are typically tracked for 18 months. If you accumulate 11 or more points within this period, your driver’s license will be suspended by the DMV.

Why Do License Points Matter?

In addition to the potential loss of driving privileges, accumulating points on your license is significant because insurance companies frequently review your driving record. Even a small number of points can result in increased insurance rates for several years.

New York State also levies a Driver Responsibility Assessment Fee on motorists who accumulate 6 or more points within 18 months. For 6 points, you will incur a fee of $100 per year for three years, with an additional $25 per year for each point exceeding six. This means, for example, a record with nine points could result in an extra $450 in fees, which is separate from any fines and surcharges.

How Can a Traffic Lawyer Help?

Enlisting the help of an experienced lawyer is crucial, as they can negotiate effectively to reduce your violation to one that carries fewer or no points at all.  For example, a 6-point speeding ticket may be reduced to a parking or non-moving violation, which carries zero points.

Legal professionals can meticulously examine the ticket’s accuracy, the officer’s report, and the radar calibration to dispute the citation’s validity.

In many cases, a traffic ticket lawyer can appear on your behalf in court, which means you don’t have to miss work to attend hearings. Your legal counsel can typically handle all proceedings without your physical presence. While advocating for your rights, they will present mitigating circumstances that can help safeguard your driving privileges.

If you have already been convicted, a lawyer may appeal the decision or seek to reopen the case, particularly if new evidence surfaces or if you weren’t properly informed of a hearing.

At Castro & Trodden, LLC, we will fight to preserve your driving record. Please don’t hesitate to contact our firm for a free case evaluation today.