A Brief Guide to Your New Jersey Traffic Fine
New Jersey traffic fines may seem simple to outside observers, but those who have had them leveled upon them can all agree that they are anything but. The state’s traffic laws have several levels of punishment, so that even after you think you have paid for your New Jersey traffic fine, it will continue to be reflected in your car insurance costs for years to come. Individuals can fight New Jersey traffic fines, but the cost of such a fight can outweigh the fines. Before you decide what to do, read as much as you can about New Jersey traffic fines so that you can make an informed decision.
A Sampling of New Jersey Traffic Fines
There are many different kinds of New Jersey traffic fines, and their associated costs vary greatly as they are contingent upon the specific traffic violation that they reflect. These is just a short sampling of possible New Jersey traffic fines, and your own could be either more or less than these examples depending on your situation:
• Speeding, 1 to 9 miles per hour over the speed limit—$81
• Speeding, 10 to 14 miles per hour over the speed limit—$91
• Speeding, 15 to 19 miles per hour over the speed limit—$101
• Speeding, 20 to 24 miles per hour over the speed limit—$196
• Speeding, 25 to 29 miles per hour over the speed limit—$216
• Speeding, 30 to 34 miles per hour over the speed limit—$236
• Speeding, 35 to 39 miles per hour over the speed limit—$256
• Speeding, 40 or more miles per hour over the speed limit—The individual must appear in court to have their New Jersey traffic fine determined for them
• Failure to signal before starting, turning or stopping—$81
• Failure to obey stop sign—$81
• Failure to observe traffic signal—$81
• Careless driving with no accident involved—$81
• Improper parking—$47
Disciplinary Point System
The reason that New Jersey traffic fines are more complicated and much more costly than they may first appear to be is the state’s disciplinary point system. Each New Jersey traffic fine comes with a corresponding point, with the points added to your license. These in turn signal to your insurance company that you’re not a careful driver and should therefore be charged more for car insurance. The more points you have, the more you pay for car insurance, making the point system backdoor New Jersey traffic fines.
Be aware also that direct fines will be charged to you if you accumulate 6 points or more over the course of three years. Drivers who accumulate 12 points will have their licenses suspended.
Here is a sampling of some points associated with typical accidents:
• Speeding, 1 to 14 miles per hour over the speed limit—2 points
• Speeding, 15 to 29 miles per hour over the speed limit—4 points
• Speeding, 30 miles per hour or more over the speed limit—6 points
• Improper turning—3 points
• Failure to stop at traffic light—2 points
• Failure to signal—2 points
