If you have been issued a traffic ticket or multiple tickets for speeding and other violations it is important that take care of the ticket one way or another.  Ignoring the ticket can only make matters worse and might make the penalties worse and harder to resolve.  It is not a valid excuse to say that you were never given a court notice or the traffic ticket never stated how much the fine was.

How Do I Plead and Pay My Speeding Ticket?

Payments for fines and penalties can be made to the court that is listed on your traffic ticket. (See images below).  To make a payment you can call the local court handling your case and speak with the court clerk on how you can arrange to make your payment.  If your case is with the Traffic Violations Bureau you can arrange pay using this website. It is important to note that paying your fines on a traffic ticket is also the equivalent of pleading guilty to the charge.  This means that you are waiving your right to a trial and possibly having the ticket reduced or dismissed.

If you have been charged with a traffic violation, before paying your ticket, consult with an experienced traffic defense attorney.  An attorney can discuss your options with you and potentially help you avoid costly fines and points.

Going To Court

In New York the traffic ticket when issued is also a summons requiring you to answer your case to the court which has jurisdiction over your matter.  For most traffic violations your case will be heard by the local municipal or town court.  If you received a ticket within the 5 boroughs of New York City then your case will be heard by the Traffic Violations Bureau (TVB).

The Effect on Your Insurance

The most issued tickets in New York are speeding tickets.  These tickets not only have heavy fines but carry points which can affect your insurance rates and lead to a possible license suspension.  For drivers that are convicted of speeding above 20 miles per hour they are issued 6 points which also requires an additional penalty to be paid to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.

6 Points Or More = Driver Responsibility Assessment Fine

The DMV’s Driver Responsibility Assessment applies to all drivers that are convicted of a traffic violation in the State of New York, even out of state drivers.  The program is intended to deter repeat offenses within the state and to encourage traffic safety.  If you receive 6 or more points on your New York State driving record within an 18 month period then the annual assessment is $100 for three years.  Drivers that receive more than six points on their record within an 18 month period are fined an additional $25 per point per year (each additional point is $75).   The DMV will suspend your license if you fail to pay your DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment.

Even if you live out of state or in Canada, if you plead guilty New York may notify your home state and points can be added to your driving record.

Broome County, NY boasts a mix of rural and suburban communities, each of which is vital to its economy. While not nearly one of the most populous counties (191,000), a number of highways cross through Broome County. This, plus its location near the Pennsylvania border makes it one of the more trafficked counties in the state. Drives who have been issued a speeding ticket in Broome County should not pay it! Instead, call an experienced traffic ticket attorney to help avoid the costs, points, and other consequences the come with a conviction.

New York State Speeding Ticket Costs

Many drivers underestimate the extreme costs and other penalties that come with a simple speeding ticket. Initial fines for speeding range from $150 to $600. But this is far from the final cost. Each ticket issued will also come with a mandatory NYS surcharge ($88 or $93). If the ticket puts the total number of points imposed on a license at six or more, the driver could also be required to pay a DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA). The DRA is a separate fine, which costs $100 per year for three years. Each point over six costs an additional $25 per year for three years. Adding insult to injury is the massive increase in insurance premiums, which typically last for 36 months or more after the ticket appears on the driving record.

Speeding Tickets Data from Broome County NY

According to data from the NYS Department of Motor Vehicles, of the nearly 48,000 tickets issued in Broome County in 2018, about 29 percent (13,856) were for speeding. The majority of speeding tickets were issued to younger drivers—47 percent were handed out to drivers aged 16 to 29. Friday was the most common day for drivers to be ticketed in Broome County last year. About 57% of drivers ticketed for speeding in the county in 2018 were from New York. Nearly 4% were from Canada, despite being several hours from any border crossing. 

Drivers who are charged with speeding in Broome county have the option to fight the charge and either win a dismissal of the charges or negotiate a reduction in fines and points. Don’t assume this will be easy—64% of speeding tickets issued in Broome County end in a conviction for the driver. However, those who hire an experienced traffic ticket attorney will likely have better success. 

Broome County Geography and How It Relates to Traffic Tickets

Located in the south-central part of New York just north of Pennsylvania, Broome County covers approximately 700 square miles and is home to 24 towns, villages and cities. Several major highways, including I-81, I-86 (Southern Tier Expressway), and I-88, connect the county to other parts of the state. This, combined with a high student population associated with SUNY Binghamton, ensures local police are always vigilant for speeding and other traffic violations.

Hiring a Broome County Speeding Ticket Lawyer

Any driver ticketed for speeding in Broome County should hire an experienced traffic ticket attorney who can analyze the traffic violation matter and provide a solid defense that will keep the fines and exposure to points at a minimum. The best part is that, in most cases, drivers who hire legal representation may not have to show up to court.

Contact Rosenblum Law to assist you with your speeding ticket matter in Broome County. We can offer you a free consultation about your case and have our attorneys fight on your behalf.

Our attorneys have represented clients in all the courts in Broome County for both traffic and criminal matters including Barker, Binghamton, Chenango, Colesville, Conklin, Dickinson, Fenton, Kirkwood, Lisle, Maine, Nanticoke, Sanford, Triangle, Union, Vestal, and Windsor. Call 888-434-0406 or email Rosenblum Law today for a free consultation about your case.

Speeding Ticket in Other Counties

New York City’s pilot program for speed and red light cameras in school zones is coming to an end. The cameras were put in place four years ago as part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Vision Zero initiative. However, the NYS Assembly and Senate failed to agree on a bill extending the program before the legislative summer recess at the end of June. Without the extension, authorization to use the cameras will expire on July 25, 2018.

Continue reading “NYC School Zone Speed Cameras to Come Down”

 
Car insurance companies are esearching the driving habits most likely to lead to accidents. Insurers are gathering data from onboard vehicle computers and cell phone applications to measure what is happening behind the wheel. With this information, insurance companies may increase rates for drivers based on the riskiness of their behavior, such as speeding and hard braking.

While different insurers define speeding and hard braking slightly differently, the following findings were found to be consistent for all insurance companies:

1. Drivers with one speeding ticket are 27% more likely to have an accident than people without any speeding tickets on their record.
2. A married man is 3% more likely to have an accident than a married woman.
3. Tailgating is the primary cause of accidents. People who slam on their brakes are 73% more likely to get into an accident than those who stay a good distance behind and slow down gradually.
4. Driving on residential streets is approximately 12 times riskier than driving on a highway. Similarly, driving on unfamiliar roads leads to more accidents.
5. Multiple short trips are riskier than one long trip. The average driver travels about 12,000 miles yearly, but a driver can travel well in excess of that and still be deemed a safe driver.

In the past, insurers have evaluated drivers by grouping them based on similar characteristics such as gender, age, marital status, driving history, and car type. Under this traditional pricing model, an 18-year-old male driving a sports car would be get a high rate, while a 30-year-old mother with a soccer van would be at a lower risk level. However, the new data being gathered could turn that model upside down and drivers may instead be rated based on behaviors like tailgating or driving on unfamiliar roads.

If you have received a speeding ticket in New York and you are concerned about increased insurance rates, it is highly recommended that you contact an experienced NY traffic lawyer. Rosenblum Law has a record of successfully combating traffic tickets. Fill out the contact form or call today for a free consultation at 888-434-0406.

New Yorkers have garnered a reputation for being among the worst drivers and there’s no doubt that driving in the New York/New Jersey area can be a stressful experience. However, a recent study by CarInsuranceComparison.com revealed that New Yorkers rank relatively low on the list of worst drivers by state. For details on how all the states measure up, see the full report.

To give each state its ranking, Car Insurance Comparison looked at statistics for speeding, careless driving, and distracted driving. According to the data, Montana drivers were the worst drivers in the country, while New York tied with Connecticut and Wisconsin for the 28th place. New York ranked worse for drunk driving in 2015 as compared to the last two years, placing 15th, an increase from its ranking in 17th place in 2014 and 28th place in 2013.

Thanks to low injury, fatality, and speeding rates, the safest place to drive in the tristate area is New Jersey, which ranked 7th best. The study also found that while New Jersey ranked well for following traffic laws in general, it did poorly in the drunk driving and careless driving categories, placing 25th and 21st, respectively.

If you recently received a speeding ticket in New York, contact the Rosenblum Law Firm. Our team of experienced attorneys have years of experience fighting traffic tickets, negotiating with prosecutors, and getting the results you are looking for. Contact us or call today at 888-815-3649 for a free consultation.

Drivers should hit the brakes when traveling through the town of Tonawanda in Erie County. According to analysis from the New York Department of Motor Vehicles, Tonawanda has ranked riskiest for speeding tickets in Western New York for each of the past three years. The majority of the ticket are issued by state police, but about one-third are written by town police.

Last year, approximately 90,000 speeding tickets were given out throughout all of Western New York, half of which were issued in Erie County alone. Surprisingly, smaller villages in Erie County issued just as many tickets as larger cities. For example, the Village of Kenmore Police issued 600 speeding tickets and the Village of Depew Police issued 673 speeding tickets, but the Buffalo Police Department issued 652 speeding tickets during that same time span.

These enforcement efforts have been criticized as speed traps, serving as a source of revenue rather than a safety measure. Last year, drivers submitted a little over $13 million dollars in total fines, nearly $10 million of which went to New York State and various localities. The four highest paying towns were Tonawanda, Amherst, West Seneca, and Cheektowaga, with the towns respectively paying out $881,105, $676,032, $511,699, and $361,701 in fines last year.

However, according to Tonawanda Police Captain Joseph Carosi, the speeding tickets are not about generating revenue. Town police have emphasized speed enforcement as a top safety priority and therefore do not hesitate to issue citations. Motorists have been given tickets for driving as little as 8 miles per hour over the speed limit (a 3 point ticket in New York).“High visibility enforcement is essential to maintain order on the roads,” Carosi said.

If you have received a speeding ticket in Erie County or elsewhere in New York State, contact the Rosenblum Law Firm today at 888-434-0406. The first phone call consult is always free!

The City of Albany has announced that it is installing 64 new red light cameras in 20 of its most well-traveled intersections in order to catch drivers committing traffic violations and to reduce accidents. With an anticipated two-month ramp-up period, the target start date to install the camera units is July 1, 2015.

The decision comes as the result of a unanimous recommendation from a selection committee consisting of budget officials, traffic engineers, city IT staff and the Albany Police Department.

Continue reading “Albany Installing Red Light Cameras This Summer”

Cameras used to enforce traffic laws have drawn a lot of attention in the press recently. Both red light and speed cameras are being justified by politicians as safety measures, but these cameras have stirred up controversy. New York’s traffic camera program is drawing much scrutiny and New Jersey’s has actually hit a dead end when the program was not renewed in 2014.

Continue reading “Are New York’s Speed Cameras Reducing Crashes?”