Most people see a traffic ticket as a nuisance to be paid online. Some tickets are worth that treatment. Others are not. Speeding more than 20 mph over the limit, reckless driving (VTL § 1212), aggravated unlicensed operation (VTL § 511), and leaving the scene (VTL § 600) are misdemeanors that go on your criminal record and your DMV abstract. Six points in eighteen months triggers a driver responsibility assessment. Eleven points in eighteen months triggers a suspension.
Insurance carriers price the same conviction differently depending on the section number. A speeding-72-in-a-55 conviction can cost you thousands in premiums over three years; a non-moving infraction often costs nothing. The lawyer's bill is usually a fraction of the difference. For commercial drivers and licensed professionals, the math is even more lopsided.
If you have been issued a serious ticket or charged with a traffic misdemeanor in New York, call us at 212-233-1233 or email [email protected].