The Law Firm of Stern, Stern, & Fruchtman can help you fight against being charged with traffic tickets and decrease or completely eliminate any points from your license. In many cases, if you commit a serious offense and pay the total penalty, your driving privileges will be suspended for at least one year and possibly longer, depending on how much time it takes to pay off all applicable penalties. You might even lose your license if you have accumulated too many unpaid offenses in a set period of time.
Generally speaking, though, more minor crimes usually result in nothing more than an increased fine; but always check your state’s laws before committing these infractions because they differ from place to place, and some states do not even require licensing plates anymore! Regardless of what happens, we’re here to guide you through it all, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today!
The penalties you face if convicted for driving under the influence of alcohol in NJ depend on how high your blood alcohol content was at the time of your arrest and whether this was your first offense. If your blood alcohol level is more significant than 0.08 percent but less than 0.10 percent, you will be fined between $250 and $400 and lose your license for three months. If convicted of a DUI, you will also be required to participate in the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center program for between 12 and 48 hours. The court also has the discretion to imprison you for up to 30 days.
If your blood alcohol level at the time of your arrest were more significant than 0.10 percent, your fine would increase to between $300 and $500, and you will lose your license for seven to 12 months. You will still face 30 days’ imprisonment and need to participate in the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center program.
Though driving under the influence of alcohol is the most common violation of NJSA 39:4-50, the statute also prohibits driving under the influence of habit-producing drugs like narcotics and hallucinogenics. The penalties for first-time driving under the influence of drugs are the same as for driving with a blood alcohol level over 0.10 percent. It should also be noted that there is no minimum level of drugs you must have in your bloodstream to be considered “under the influence.” Any amount that impairs your ability to drive is sufficient.
An NJSA 39:4-50 conviction (or a guilty plea) will add nine insurance points to your NJ driving record. These points are different from the Motor Vehicle Commission’s points that are given for some driving offenses. New Jersey insurance companies use them to determine whether they will insure you and if they do choose to insure you, how much your premium will be. If you get too many points, you may find that no insurance companies will be willing to cover you, and you will be forced to purchase insurance through the more expensive New Jersey Personal Automobile Insurance Plan (NJPAIP).
If you have a Commercial Driver’s License in NJ, you are subject to additional penalties if you are convicted of certain moving violations. These penalties frequently include suspension of your CDL even if you were not driving a Commercial Vehicle when you received the ticket.
For more information on a specific NJ driving violation, please select one from the list below:
Failing to Observe a Police Officer’s Directions (NJSA 39:4-57)
Driving on public or private property to avoid a traffic sign or signal (NJSA 39:4-66.2)
Driving on sidewalk (NJSA 39:4-71)
Failure to obey direction of officer (NJSA 39:4-80)
Failure to observe traffic signals (NJSA 39:4-81)
Failure to keep right (NJSA 39:4-82)
Improper operating of vehicle on divided highway or divider (NJSA 39:4-82.1)
Failure to keep right at intersection (N.J.S.A. 39:4-83)
Failure to pass to right of vehicle proceeding in opposite direction (NJSA 39:4-84)
Improper passing on right or off roadway (NJSA 39:4-85)
Wrong way on a one-way street (NJSA 39:4-85.1)
Improper passing in no passing zone (NJSA 39:4-86)
Failure to yield to overtaking vehicle (NJSA 39:4-87)
Failure to observe traffic lanes (NJSA 39:4-88)
Tailgating (NJSA 39:4-89)
Failure to yield at intersection (NJSA 39:4-90)
Failure to use proper entrances to limited-access highways (NJSA 39:4-90.1)
Failure to yield to emergency vehicles (NJSA 39:4-91 and 39:4-92)
Racing on a Highway (NJSA 39:4-52)
Reckless Driving (NJSA 39:4-96)
Careless Driving NJSA 39:4-97
Driving While License Suspended (NJSA 39:3-40)
Driving While Intoxicated (NJSA 39:4-50)
Slow Speed Blocking Traffic (NJSA 39:4-97.1)
Driving in an Unsafe Manner (NJSA 39:4-97.2)
Exceeding Maximum Speed (NJSA 39:4-98)
Failure to Stop for a Traffic Light (NJSA 39:4-105)
Improper Turn at Traffic Light (NJSA 39:4-115)
Failure to Stop at a Flashing Red Signal (NJSA 39:4-119)
Failure to Stop for Police Whistle (NJSA 39:4-122)
Improper Right or Left Turn (NJSA 39:4-123)
Improper Turn From Approved Turning Course (NJSA 39:4-124)
Improper U-Turn (NJSA 39:4-125)
Failure to Signal a Stop or Turn (NJSA 39:4-126)
Improper Backing or Turning in Street (NJSA 39:4-127)
Stopping at a Railroad Crossing (NJSA 39:4-127.1)
Improper Crossing of Bridge (NJSA 39:4-127.2)
Improper Crossing of Railroad Grade Crossing by Certain Vehicles (NJSA 39:4-128)
Improper Passing of School Bus (NJSA 39:4-128.1)
Improper Passing of a Frozen Dessert Truck (NJSA 39:4-128.4)
Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident (NJSA 39:4-129)
Leaving the Scene of a Non-Injury Accident (NJSA 39:4-129(b))
Racing on a Public Highway (NJSA 39:5C-1)