NJ traffic laws are ideally structured to protect people from accidents. Following driving guidelines and protocols will protect you and others from possible hazards. To ensure the security of citizens, careless driving in NJ is strictly prohibited. There are severe legal penalties and fines for driving carelessly in NJ.
Driving carelessly means when the driver drives without caution and attention. They tend to endanger other people and property. Following comes careless driving.
- Rough driving
- Lane dodging
- Constant honking
- Using a phone while driving
- Close following
What Are Penalties For Careless Driving?
Careless driving is a serious offence that adds up points in the driver’s record. There are specific penalties for every offence. You are charged,
- A fine between $50 and $200 is charged and varies depending on the zone you are driving in.
- Court charges are $34.
- The assessment fee is charged up to 6$.
- Insurance premiums will also increase.
- 2 violation points will be added to your driver’s record.
- The consequences will be more severe if any personal injury is involved in the accident.
- It adds to civil liability and can be used as evidence of negligence.
Hence, penalties will continue to increase depending on the number of offences you commit while driving carelessly.
Related: Types of NJ Traffic Violations and Penalties
Get Your Careless Driving Ticket Dismissed
If you have committed the offence for the first time or have a valid reason behind this offence, you can easily contest your ticket in court with proper preparation, like any other plead the not guilty case. Check our page on plead not guilty to learn more about it.
Here are a few cases you can easily use in it,
- The officer’s poor judgment of the situation.
- Lack of evidence for your driving being careless.
- Weather conditions played a part in the action.
- Vehicle malfunctions can also cause such driving.
- Medical emergencies are also an important aspect.
- Hire an attorney to help you defend yourself.
- Gather authentic evidence to support your claims.
If you don’t have proper evidence to support your plead not guilty claim, then follow these and plead guilty in the courtroom,
Plea Bargain:
You can plea bargain, which will help reduce your fines and violation points. Surcharges or other penalties may still apply, but chances of going to jail and paying hefty fines are lessened. Here are the following points need to be considered,
- You are a first-time offender, or you assure the judge that you will drive safely next time.
- The judge must reduce the fines and help you settle a less serious offence.
- You should discuss your case with your attorney before pleading a bargain.
- Your attorney may find ways to fight your charges, and you will not need to plead guilty.
Hence, this can lessen your financial burden and prevent violation points from accumulating on your driver’s record.
Using Special Conditions:
Assessing the circumstances behind the careless driving ticket is essential in contesting the ticket. Here are some cases you can use to lessen your penalties,
- Different states have different laws regarding different offences.
- If you have moved from another state to NJ and do not know the laws, you can use this as an advantageous point.
- Explain that the action was taken in an emergency.
- Action was taken due to some medical emergencies to prevent a potential accident and any other emergency.
Conclusion:
Careless driving is hazardous and is often charged with severe fines and surcharges to prevent violations in advance. Tickets issued on careless driving can be contested and resolved by providing supporting evidence with the help of an attorney.
If you do not have enough supporting evidence to defend yourself, plead guilty, and ensure that you will drive safely in the future, it will help you reduce your fines and prevent you from going to jail. Hiring an attorney in this case is crucial if you want to defend yourself. Careless driving is a serious offence but can be tackled with proper guidelines and strategy.
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