Post Date January 13, 2012 –  A New Jersey  bill that will raise point fines for repeat violators of New Jersey’s unsafe driving statutes, and will clarify how point fines shall be given to those driving record is now almost a law.  It passed the state Senate on Thursday, Nov. 29. Currently, violators of unsafe driving rules can opt whether to pay for fines or received points that will impact their New Jersey auto insurance rates. Many drivers in New Jersey prefer to pay for increased point fines than to have to deal with higher insurance costs.  Unsafe driving offenses include improper turns, and leaving the scene of a traffic accident. For first-time offenders, the current point fines are set at $50 to 150. As for second-time offenders, fines range from $100 to $250. For third and subsequent offenses, a driver will have to face fines with a minimum $200 up to $500. With these fines also comes a $250 surcharge. The law doubles the minimum fine set for drivers who will have four or more offenses. From the minimum of $250, this will become $500.

New Jersey Point Fines to Increase

The current point-forgiveness system in the state had seen a lot of issues as to the so-called “lack of uniformity in understanding among practitioners.” The courts and the Motor Vehicle Commission do not agree as to how to apply benefits of the point-forgiveness. A driver who has been convicted of violating unsafe driving statues will only be eligible for points-forgiveness twice in five years. The point fine system can impact one’s New Jersey auto insurance rates but this will depend on one’s insurance company and to the location where the policyholder lives. General principle is that insurers will charge a higher rate for drivers with more points as this is indicative to the risk of the policyholder.

-Mike 

Michael E. Dortch
President &  Senior Agent
InsureDirect.com
Corporate Home Office
618 South Broad Street
Lansdale, Pennsylvania  19446
(800) 807-0762  ext. 206