traffic ticket and costs (insurance, lawyers, law)

[gammagirl]

this doesn't make sense. My son (18) got a 2 point careless driving ticket. We went to court to have it reduced to a no point ticket figuring it would be cheaper in the long run than paying the insurance increase for three years. A $75 costs $435 to bring it down to a no point charge. At the same time, my son's friend was there on the same charge. In fact, he was caught speeding 35 miles over the speed limit. Since his father has some job at a law firm, he had an attorney come and all he ended up paying was $60.

I don't understand it. Same charges both reduced apparently to a no point ticket. Why does my son pay quadruple the amount?

[carlo2009]

Thats why they have lawyers..to get the lowest possible charge or dismissal from the prosecutor.

[lkb0714]

Originally Posted by gammagirl

this doesn't make sense. My son (18) got a 2 point careless driving ticket. We went to court to have it reduced to a no point ticket figuring it would be cheaper in the long run than paying the insurance increase for three years. A $75 costs $435 to bring it down to a no point charge. At the same time, my son's friend was there on the same charge. In fact, he was caught speeding 35 miles over the speed limit. Since his father has some job at a law firm, he had an attorney come and all he ended up paying was $60.

I don't understand it. Same charges both reduced apparently to a no point ticket. Why does my son pay quadruple the amount?

Because careless driving is a more serious offense than speeding.

Careless driving = "39:4-97. A person who drives a vehicle carelessly, or without due caution and circumspection, in a manner so as to endanger, or be likely to endanger, a person or property, shall be guilty of careless driving."

Whereas excessive speeding is not as serious an offense.

"39:4-99. Exceeding speed limitations; speed specified in charge
It shall be prima facie unlawful for a person to exceed any of the foregoing speed limitations or any speed limitation in effect as established by authority of section 39:4-98 of this Title."

[GS37]

Originally Posted by gammagirl

this doesn't make sense. My son (18) got a 2 point careless driving ticket. We went to court to have it reduced to a no point ticket figuring it would be cheaper in the long run than paying the insurance increase for three years. A $75 costs $435 to bring it down to a no point charge. At the same time, my son's friend was there on the same charge. In fact, he was caught speeding 35 miles over the speed limit. Since his father has some job at a law firm, he had an attorney come and all he ended up paying was $60.

I don't understand it. Same charges both reduced apparently to a no point ticket. Why does my son pay quadruple the amount?

A few points:

1) What was your son doing? Was he speeding or doing something else to warrant the careless driving ticket? Normally, if you're speeding you receive a speeding ticket. Careless is a whole other animal.

2) Not saying it's fair, but those who retain counsel are often given an unwritten courtesy in minor cases like this and are given a better deal.

3) $435 is certainly less than insurance surcharges anyway. But keep in mind that most insurance companies in New Jersey will not begin assessing those charges until you hit three points on your license. In my driving life I've gotten one speeding ticket and negotiated specifically to have it knocked down to two points to avoid insurance surcharges. It ended up costing just about $100, though this was probably almost ten years ago.

[gammagirl]

I couldn't take the chance with my insurance.. My son is 18 so the insurance co will use any reason to raise the charges. I called them before we decided what to do witht he ticket and they would not tell me one way or another how 2 points will affect my insurance. Just having an 18 yr old boy in my policy raised my insurance $1300 ( no points, just liability coverage on his car which is in my name). I was told by someone else that they raise your insurance $150/yr per point. Couldn't take that chance.