An average of about three million traffic tickets are issued in the State of New York every year, with more than 500,000 of those tickets being speeding tickets. What happens if your convicted of a speeding ticket and what can you do if you have been issued a speeding ticket or any other moving violation?
What Are Points On Your License?
The “points” on your license are a penalty on your license whenever you are convicted of certain moving violations, in addition to any other fines or fees. Generally, the more severe the traffic violation you commit, the larger the number of points that get added to your license. Any points you accrue, whether from speeding tickets or other violations, stay on your license for eighteen months.
What Are the Consequences of Getting Points From Speeding Tickets or other moving violations?
If you accrue six or more points on your license in an eighteen-month period, you will be subject to a Driver Responsibility Assessment. For six points, the assessment is an annual fee of $100 for three years. The fee goes up an additional $25 for every point over six points. For example, 8 points would mean you must pay $150 each year. If you accrue eleven or more points on your license in that same period, your license may be suspended, effectively meaning you can no longer legally drive. Moreover, getting more points on your license will result in higher insurance rates, which may remain elevated up to three years after your ticket.
How Many Points Do You Get From Speeding or other Tickets?
| VIOLATION | POINTS |
| VTL 1180B or 1180D – Speeding | |
| MPH over the limit | 3 |
| 1 to 10 | 3 |
| 11 to 20 | 4 |
| 21 to 30 | 6 |
| 31 to 40 | 8 |
| Over 40 | 11 |
| 1180a (speeding based on conditions) | 3 |
| VTL 1212 – Reckless Driving | 5 |
| VTL 1174 – Failed to Stop for School Bus | 5 |
| VTL 1225-c – Improper Cell Phone Use | 5 |
| VTL 1225-dUse of portable electronic device (Texting) | 5 |
| VTL 1171-a – Railroad crossing | 5 |
| Failed to yield right of way | 3 |
| VTL 1111-d – Red Light | 3 |
| VTL 1172-a – Disobeying traffic control signal (stop sign) | 3 |
| VTL 1128(a) – unsafe lane change | 3 |
| VTL 1125 – Driving left of center (wrong way) | 3 |
| VTL 600.1 Leaving the Scene with property damage | 3 |
| VTL 1229-c-1 or 2 – Child safety restraint violation | 3 |
| Inadequate brakes on employers vehicle | 2 |
| VTL 1163 (b) or (d) Failure to signal | 2 |
| VTL 1160 Improper turn | 2 |
| VTL 1110- a – Disobeying a traffic control device | 2 |
| VTL 319.1 – Uninsured Motorist | 0 But Mandatory license revocation |
What Can You Do About It?
The best way to keep points off your license is to fight the ticket in court before points are ever put onto your license. Hiring the right attorney will give you the best chance of keeping points off your license and ensuring your privilege to drive remains intact.
Fox Law Firm, PLLC is a New York traffic and criminal law practice serving clients throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties. With more than three decades of experience, the attorneys of Fox Law Firm, PLLC defend clients in traffic and criminal cases and protect their rights. For more information or to ask for a consultation, call our Riverhead office at 631-779-3400 or visit our contact page.
