The Delaware River marks part of the western border between the state of Pennsylvania and Sullivan County in New York. With a population of 75,498, Sullivan County is in the Catskill Mountains, about 70 miles northwest of New York City. Its northeastern corner is within the Catskill Park. The highest peak is Beech Mountain, just across from Ulster County, which is 3,118 feet above sea level.
Drivers charged with speeding in Sullivan County can choose to fight the charges against them and either win a dismissal or negotiate a reduction in fines and points. This is often difficult for drivers to do on their own, so it is always worth it to hire a skilled attorney to avoid getting convicted.
New York Speeding Ticket Costs
Sullivan County speeding tickets, like those issued in any part of New York, are very expensive. Fines can cost between $150 to $600, sometimes more. In addition, a driver must pay a NYS surcharge of $88 or $93. There’s also a possible DMV Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) fee. This is a separate fine charged to drivers who reach 6 or more points on their license. A DRA costs $300. Each point over 6 adds another $75. Drivers can also expect their auto insurance rates to go up by several hundred dollars per year upon conviction for speeding.
Speeding Ticket Data from Sullivan County, NY
Police in Sullivan County wrote 10,859 speeding tickets in 2018, which was just over 40% of all tickets issued to drivers that year. The total number of speeding tickets written in Sullivan County rose 18% over 2009, the earliest year for which data was available. Still, this is 9% less than the county’s peak of 11,948 in 2016. About 25% of drivers who are ticketed for speeding in Sullivan County live out of state.
Number of Speeding Tickets Given in Sullivan County, NY
| Year | # of Speeding Tickets |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 9,165 |
| 2010 | 9,715 |
| 2011 | 8,912 |
| 2012 | 7,689 |
| 2013 | 8,861 |
| 2014 | 7,854 |
| 2015 | 8,784 |
| 2016 | 11,948 |
| 2017 | 10,119 |
| 2018 | 10,859 |
Only 3.4% of drivers were able to win a dismissal of their speeding ticket in Sullivan County in 2018. Thankfully, traffic courts in Sullivan County allow drivers to negotiate speeding tickets—i.e. plea bargain—to reduce them to lesser offenses. But not all prosecutors are willing to negotiate and not all drivers will get a good deal if they try. Those who hire a skilled traffic ticket attorney are far more likely to win the cooperation of prosecutors and reduce their speeding ticket to a lesser offense with few or no points.
Sullivan County Geography and How It Relates to Traffic Tickets
Since the 19th century, Sullivan County has been a popular vacation spot. Like other counties located among the Catskills, Sullivan County offers mountain climbing, boating, and other outdoor activities. The Monticello Raceway also attracts many visitors. The majority of tourism occurs in the summer months.
The site of the original Woodstock Festival in 1969 was in Sullivan County. The site is now called the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, and showcases a museum of the 60s and holds many concerts and other events. Other cultural destinations in the county include the CAS Arts Center, the NaCl Theatre, and the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance (DVAA). Sullivan County’s ample tourism combined with its lack of interstate highways means police vigilantly watch the local and county roads for speeding and other traffic violations.
Hiring a Sullivan County Speeding Ticket Lawyer
There’s no reason for a driver to accept the fines, points, and insurance increase that can come with a speeding ticket in Sullivan County. Drivers can and should fight the charge and possibly win a dismissal or negotiate a reduction in fines and points. An experienced traffic defense attorney can provide a solid defense based on the facts of the case, potentially reducing the fines and points. For most speeding ticket matters, a person who hires an attorney is not required to come to court in person. If you received a speeding ticket in Sullivan County, contact Rosenblum Law. Our traffic ticket attorneys represent clients in Bethel, Callicoon, Cochecton, Delaware, Fallsburg, Forestburgh, Fremont, Highland, Liberty, Lumberland, Mamakating, Neversink, Rockland, Thompson, and Tusten. Call 888-434-0406 or email Rosenblum Law today for a free consultation about your case.