Got pulled over-Safety Inspection Stiker Expired (Reston, Fairfax: insurance, crime, lawyer)

[lowfatmajia]

Guess it's my lucky day. Got pulled over last Sunday on Sunset Hill Dr in Reston. I bought my car new back in March this year and I thought the safety sticker expires on the same date as my license plate (which is March 2010).

I explained this to the officer and added that this is my first new car, the car salesman mentioned "all have been taken care for a year", I am a foreigner and I have been to the area less than a year, blah blah blah. The officer gave me a ticket anyway and the court day is Dec 14.

I appreciate your advice as to

1) Will this violation cause points on my driving record and increase my insurance premium?

2) Is it worthy to hire a lawyer for this case?

3) If I go to the court without a lawyer. Should I plead guilty and ask the judge to consider this and that, or should I plead not guilty and give the same reasons. In the culture where I am from, people plead guilty first and say something like: this is my first violation, I got my car inspected the very next day and I promise never do it again, don't know whether this will work in America.

[car54]

No, there are no demerit points assessed on an expired inspection ticket.

It will not affect your insurance premiums...it is not a "moving" violation.

Any kind of lawyer will cost WAY more than the fine...which is probably under $100.

I would raise hell with the dealer and maybe they'll reimburse the fine or comp you future service or something of equal value.

This happens all the time....often the dealer will put on the inspection sticker when they receive the car, and then not sell the car for a few months....so you don't get a full year out of the sticker. I always INSIST that that they slap a NEW sticker on the car or I'm not taking delivery. I've never gotten an argument over it....the inspector comes running, sticker book in hand.

[Yankeesfan]

That happened to me once too, I had to go out of town unexpectedly and so didn't get the inspection in time. Just pay the ticket.

[boyd888]

What you received is basically the equivalent of an expensive parking ticket. No points and it doesn't even go on your driving record. Just a fine - some easy money for the county coffers.

Get the inspection done ASAP (you have to do it anyway since it's expired) and go to court. Don't tell your sob story about being a foreigner, first car, etc. Just say you didn't realize it was expired and got it done asap as soon as you received the ticket. The fine will probably be reduced or the ticket even dismissed.

[rubytue]

Unless the cost of the ticket would be more than the cost of a day off work, I'd just send a check to the address on the ticket and be done with it. Of course, get your car inspected immediately, go back to the dealer, etc. But the ticket won't hurt you at all, no points, no nothing. It was a $50 ticket last time I had one (granted, that was 2001-ish)

That said, I could see forgetting to renew a registration since the dates are tiny little sitckers on your license plate, but the date the inspection is due is right on your windshield. Although, perhaps no one explained that the number correspond to a year and month. I've had tickets for expiered inspections before, usually b/c I forgot about them, was out of money, etc.

[lowfatmajia]

Thank you everyone.

[South Jersey Styx]

Originally Posted by boyd888

Get the inspection done ASAP ... and go to court.

Concur! Just get the inspection ASAP. A lot of service stations, MIDAS, Goodyear, etc. will all do the safety inspection. Just pay the ticket and you'll know better next time. Good luck!

[phrekyos]

I had this happen to me in Prince George County, VA. The officer told me that it was normal for them to be dismissed if you got the inspection done ASAP and went to court. Sure enough, I followed his advice, and the judge dismissed the ticket - along with everybody else that did the same thing.

I don't know if it's different up here, but it may be worth a try. IIRC, the ticket was rather expensive - like $250 or so.

[Bigfoot424]

It does go on the record but no points are assigned. It is a non moving violation. Although not technically a CWL (Complied with law) ticket I would always allow the person to get the vehicle inspected ASAP and bring the receipt proving this was done and I'd ask the prosecutor to drop or CWL the ticket. You might try this. Feel free to call the officer to see if he is willing to help with this. If he isn't he doesn't have final say. The prosecutor assigned to court that day does.

[SteelCityRising]

A Fairfax County police officer giving out a traffic ticket in Reston? Wow! I'm shocked! Crime has been steadily on the increase in Fairfax County. I'd much prefer the police trying to stem all of the brazen robberies and car thefts as of late at Reston Town Center (kind of my 'hood) than to be harassing newcomers about stickers.