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When driving on New Jersey public roads, it’s crucial to pay attention to local and state driving laws. Traffic violation tickets, especially for speeding, can often carry heavy penalties. Even if you don’t get into an accident, a speeding ticket could lead to fines and points on your driver’s license. With the help of a New Jersey speeding ticket lawyer, however, you may be able to reduce or even drop your charges. While you don’t necessarily need a lawyer for a speeding ticket, having one on your side could help ensure a favorable outcome.
New Jersey Speeding Laws
In most places, you’ll be able to find speed limit posts at regular intervals along the road. These signs dictate what your maximum speed should be while driving on that road. There may be times, however, when additional signage is in place, such as when passing through a work zone. In those cases, the newly posted speed limit becomes the legal speed limit.
If you find yourself on a road where there is no posted speed limit, N.J.S.A 39:4-98 dictates that the speed limit should be as follows:
- School zone, during recess or when children are present – 25 MPH
- Business or residential district – 25 MPH
- Suburban business or residential district – 35 MPH
- Elsewhere – 50 MPH
If you’re ever uncertain about the speed limit, err on the side of caution but stay within the normal flow of traffic.
Penalties for Speeding Tickets
With a speeding ticket, your fines and the points you get on your license are determined by how far over the speed limit you were driving:
- Over 1-9 MPH: $85 fine, 2 points
- Over 10-14 MPH: $95 fine, 2 points
- Over 15-19 MPH: $105 fine, 4 points
- Over 20-24 MPH: $200 fine, 4 points
- Over 25-29 MPH: $220 fine, 4 points
- Over 30-34 MPH: $240 fine, 5 points
- Over 35+ MPH: $269 fine, 5 points
Fines may be doubled depending on certain situations, such as speeding through a work zone. Speeding tickets also often come with additional costs, such as court costs, surcharges, and an increased insurance premium.
License Suspension
Once you accumulate 12 points on your license within a 12-month period, your driver’s license will automatically be suspended. Driving on a suspended license tends to carry much more severe penalties. Even going 1 MPH over the speed limit could get your license suspended if you have other traffic violations. Working with an attorney could help you prevent license loss.
How a New Jersey Speeding Ticket Lawyer Could Help You
While you may not always be able to fight a speeding ticket, there may be ways to help reduce the associated penalties. Extenuating circumstances, first-time offenders, and issues with the ticket process or police equipment could get your charges dropped or reduced. Working with a lawyer is often your best bet for building the right defense.
First-Time Offenders
If this is your first speeding ticket, you may be able to avoid getting points on your license by attending a driver safety course. The court is often interested in ensuring that first offenders don’t become repeat offenders. Your lawyer may recommend negotiating a plea bargain. By pleading guilty to speeding and acknowledging your mistake, you may be able to lower your penalties and prevent future speeding tickets. Working with a lawyer is often crucial to ensure you get the most favorable outcome.
Faulty Equipment or Improper Training
Sometimes, you may get a speeding ticket even if you weren’t speeding. The machines used to read the speed of a vehicle aren’t infallible. They also require proper training to ensure they are used properly. Your lawyer can request the maintenance log and training record of the officer who gave you the ticket. If the machine is proven to be faulty or the officer is untrained, your charges could be dropped.
Rights Violation
In most cases, an officer will give you a speeding ticket, and you’ll deal with most of the legal proceedings on your assigned court date. However, there may be times when an altercation with the officer could lead to a more intense situation. If an office believes you are ‘fighting back’ or refusing the ticket, they may take additional actions, including potential arrests. An office may also claim to have a reason to search your car or personal belongings. But these cases aren’t always legal and could violate your rights. How the officer handled the ticket situation could have an impact on your case and the potential charges or penalties you face.
Extenuating Circumstances
Sometimes, speeding could be crucial in an emergency situation. Say, for example, you or a passenger need urgent care and are on the way to the hospital. Or perhaps you are being tailgated by another driver and are trying to speed up to get away from them. In these cases, you may have a legal defense of extenuating circumstances. While you may not get your charges dropped in these instances, your lawyer may be able to help negotiate for lesser penalties.
Get Help from a New Jersey Speeding Ticket Lawyer Today
If you recently got a speeding ticket, the sooner you contact a lawyer, the better. Attorney Leon Matchin has dedicated his practice to helping his clients understand, navigate, and fight traffic violations. As a trained and experienced New Jersey speeding ticket lawyer, he knows the ins and outs of the system and uses his knowledge to help your case. Call him today at (732) 298-6522 or send an email to leon@matchin.intersectwp.com to schedule a consultation about your case.