How a Woodbridge speeding lawyers can help save you money

A speeding ticket may seem simple – pay the ticket and move on. Unfortunately, it is not that simple. A New Jersey speeding ticket can also mean surcharge costs, increases in insurance premiums that can last years, points on your driving record, and a possible suspension of your driving privileges.

Why an Woodbridge Speeding Ticket Can Cost a Fortune

Many of our former state attorneys have worked in law enforcement.  At Aiello, Harris, Abate Law Group PCour attorneys have been helping people who have been given speeding tickets for over 60 years. In many cases, our Woodbridge criminal attorneys can negotiate an agreement that reduces the fines and points, reducing the insurance costs. In some cases, we can successfully have the charges dismissed because the radar or other speed-tracking device was inaccurate or because there was a legitimate reason for speeding.

Speeding tickets affect your driving record.

If you plead guilty to a speeding offense or are found guilty in court, paying the fine is just the first step. The guilty plea record will then be sent to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, which will record the plea date and assign points to your driver’s license.

Points for speeding are assessed as follows:

The fines will range from $85 to $260 depending on how fast you were going. Fines are doubled if you were driving 65 mph or more, or were driving in a construction zone or designated safe corridor. This means, if a driver was going 66 mph in a construction zone where the speed limit was 35 mph, the driver could receive 10 points for just one offense.

Any driver who accumulates six points or more within a three-year period will be surcharged (a charge on top of the court fine) $150, plus another $25 for each point over six points. The driver is surcharged for three years for a minimum of $450.

Additional surcharges may apply if other offenses occurred while the driver sped, such as driving while intoxicated. Additional points will also be added if other offenses are placed on your driving record, such as improper passing, failing to stop for a traffic signal, or even failing to cooperate with a police officer.

Any driver who accumulates 12 points or more will have their license suspended.

Speeding tickets affect your car insurance premium

Your insurance company will also receive notice of the points and speeding offense on your driving record. Depending on how fast you were going, what other offenses were involved, and your prior record, the insurance company may:

  • Increase your insurance premiums for several years.
  • Deny you any cost reductions based on a safe driving record.
  • Deny you insurance altogether because you are too much of a risk.

Drivers who apply for new insurance are normally required to disclose if they have any speeding tickets or other offenses.

How a criminal defense lawyer can help

Our Woodbridge speeding ticket lawyers can help in several ways:

We begin by helping drivers understand all of the consequences that may apply. For example, a driver who already has 2 points on his/her record who is caught going 31 mph over the speed limit will have at least 5 points placed on their driving record, receive $260 in fines, a $500 surcharge over 3 years, and a large insurance premium increase that could end up costing several thousand dollars. Additionally, the driver will be just 5 points away from losing his/her license.

At the hearing, we can often convince the police officer or prosecutor to agree to reduce the offense to a 15-29 mph violation or even a 1-14 mph violation. This reduction can save 2-3 points, $500 in surcharges if the reduction is 14mph or less, and hundreds or thousands in insurance because the speeding offense is not a flagrant one in the eyes of the insurance company.

If the testing device was defective, or there was a reason for speeding such as a medical emergency, we may be able to have the ticket dismissed.

Talk to an Woodbridge speeding ticket attorney today

At Aiello, Harris, Abate Law Group PCour Woodbridge speeding attorneys fight for the rights of the accused. We hold police officers to the legal standards they are required to meet, tactfully cross-examine the officers who gave you a ticket, and artfully negotiate fair settlements when the officer or prosecution is reasonable. For help in your speeding ticket case, please call us at (732) 860-1046 or fill out our contact form to arrange a free consultation at our law firm’s Woodbridge office.