So my family member got a careless driving ticket for the first time in NJ. The police didn’t even help when the car had emergency lights on and was parked by the curb. They just waited behind without turning their lights on for over 10 minutes, and then when my family member tried to do a U-turn, they immediately turned their lights on and gave the ticket. It’s a bit frustrating since the officer didn’t even offer help. Is it worth just paying the $86 fine? What happens if they do that? Are there points involved? Will insurance go up? Any chance of jail time for something like this?
I had a similar issue once, and yeah, it’s 2 points for careless driving in NJ. If you just pay the fine, the points get added to your record, and insurance might go up. But no jail time, don’t worry about that.
@Jaime
Wait, so paying the fine means you just accept the points? I thought you could appeal or something?
Teo said:
@Jaime
Wait, so paying the fine means you just accept the points? I thought you could appeal or something?
Exactly, paying just means you accept the points and it goes on your record. If you want to avoid points, you could see if they offer a driving school option to reduce them.
I looked it up, and if you attend a driving school, you might be able to reduce the points or get them removed. But if you just pay, you’re stuck with the 2 points and the ticket stays on your record.
Shawn said:
I looked it up, and if you attend a driving school, you might be able to reduce the points or get them removed. But if you just pay, you’re stuck with the 2 points and the ticket stays on your record.
Yeah, I did the driving school option before, and it worked. Definitely worth checking if that’s available.
I wouldn’t just pay the fine unless you’re really sure. Those points can mess with your insurance rates. Could be better to fight it, especially if it’s your first ticket.
Poe said:
I wouldn’t just pay the fine unless you’re really sure. Those points can mess with your insurance rates. Could be better to fight it, especially if it’s your first ticket.
But isn’t it easier just to pay and avoid all the hassle of appealing? Like, why go through all that extra work if it’s just 2 points?
@Ellis
It might seem easier, but the points could cause your rates to go up for years. Worth considering if you want to save money long-term.
Yeah, no jail time for careless driving. It’s a civil ticket, not criminal, so it’s just a fine with the 2 points. Honestly, paying the fine and moving on seems like the easiest route unless you’re trying to avoid those points.
I heard it depends on the judge, though. They could be lenient in some cases, but it’s not common. Usually, they’ll just give the points and the fine. Jail time is rare for this kind of thing.
Rai said:
I heard it depends on the judge, though. They could be lenient in some cases, but it’s not common. Usually, they’ll just give the points and the fine. Jail time is rare for this kind of thing.
Okay, so no chance of jail time unless it’s something extreme like reckless driving?
@Leighton
Yeah, pretty much. Jail time would be for much more serious cases, like if the driving was really dangerous or if you’re a repeat offender.