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Traffic Violations

 

Receiving a traffic ticket can be a hassle when you consider all of the time and energy it takes to resolve them. For most of us, taking time off work to attend traffic court is just not an affordable option. Traffic court costs you time, money and can be extremely stressful.

 

Also, if your ticket is not handled correctly it can turn into costly points and penalties on your driving record. Mishandled tickets can result in a 25% to 400% increase in insurance premiums for three years.

 

If you contact us today for a free consultation, 

-  You may not have to appear in court

-  Our firm offers a low flat fee

-  We will work to get your license back, so you can get back to your life

-  You will deal directly with the attorney fighting for you

 

Points for Driving Citations

 

For drivers with North Carolina licenses, there are two types of points that you must know: driver's license points and insurance points.  As an example of this difference, a traffic ticket conviction may result in driver's license points but assess no insurance points (so no increase to your current insurance rates).   Details follow.

 

Driver's license points.   License points matter more than you might expect.  The accumulation of license points moves towards the possibility of your license being suspended, and they generally are the result of a moving violation.  Minor violations only carry about two to three points, and it takes the accumulation of twelve points within three years to have your license suspended.  Common convictions that will result in license points or suspensions include:

  • 4 points (some, not all)

    • Reckless driving

    • Following too closely

  • 3 Points (some, not all)

    • Stop sign/stop light violation

    • Driving with no operator's license

    • Failure to Stop for Siren

    • Speeding in excess of 55 mph

  • 2 points (some, not all)

    • All other moving violations

  • Suspensions (some, not all)

    • Accumulation of 8 or more driver's license points within a three year period after reinstatement of a license following a suspension/revocation for a traffic violation.

    • Two or more convictions for speeding in excess of 55 mph over the speed limit, but not more than 80 mph, in a 12 month period.

    • Two or more convictions, one for reckless driving and one for speeding in excess of 55 mph over the speed limit, but not more than 80 mph, in a 12 month period.

    • Two or more convictions, one for aggressive driving and one for speeding in excess of 55 mph over the speed limit, but not more than 80 mph, in a 12 month period.

    • Conviction of speeding in excess of 75 mph where the speed limit is less than 70 mph.

    • Conviction of speeding in excess of 80 mph where the speed limit is 70 mph.

    • Conviction of speeding more than 15 mph above the speed limit, in excess of 55 mph.

 

Insurance points.  These are the points that cost you.  Depending on the violation, your insurance is susceptible to increase with each insurance point that you acquire.  Most of us would like to avoid an increase in insurance, and depending on the violation, it is possible to keep your rates from rising too high, if at all.  Number of insurance points by conviction (some, not all) are:

  • 4 points

    • Reckless driving

    • Passing a stopped school bus

    • Speeding in excess of 75 mph when posted limit is less than 70 mph

    • Speeding in excess of 80 mph when limit is 70 mph or greater

  • 2 points

    • Illegal passing

    • Speeding more than 10 mph over the limit, if total speed was in excess of 55 mph but less than 76 mph

    • Speeding 10 miles or less in excess of limit in speed zone of 55 or greater

    • Following too closely

  • 1 point

    • Speeding 10 mph or less in excess of a speed limit of less than 55 mph

    • Any other moving violation

  • Insurance Point and Rate Increase

    • 1 point - 25%

    • 2 points - 45%

    • 3 points - 65%

    • 4 points - 90%

    • 5 points - 120%

    • 6 points - 150%

    • 7 points - 180%

    • 8 points - 220%

    • 9 points - 260%

    • 10 points - 300%

    • 11 points - 350%

    • 12 points - 400%

 

Please note, no Insurance points will be assessed for the following offenses:  (a) accidents resulting in no injuries and property damage less than $1,800 (if there is no conviction for a related moving violation, and the other drivers in the household have a clean driving record for the past three years); (b) one conviction of speeding 10 mph or less (if not in a school zone) in a three year period per household insurance policy; and (c) one Prayer for Judgment Continued (PJC) in a three year period per household insurance policy.  More than one PJC, or more than one conviction of 10 mph or less will raise your insurance rates based upon both the old and new conviction.  Insurance points will continue to affect your insurance premiums until the occurrence that caused the insurance point is more than 3 years old.

 

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