Richard Huizenga Attorney
call-nj-attorney

Traffic Tickets & Motor Vehicle Issues

The NJ Law Firm of Richard Huizenga can help you fight traffic tickets and eliminate or reduce motor vehicle points. If you are convicted of a serious traffic violation, your driving privileges could be suspended or revoked. Even for relatively minor violations you are often subject to harsh fines. If you are convicted of a moving violation in New Jersey, the Motor Vehicle Commission will add points to your driving record. Different violations have different point values, with more points for more serious violations. For example, Careless Driving, Failing to Observe a Traffic Control Device, and Speeding (1 to 14 mph over the speed limit) are two-point violations, More serious violations are assessed 4 points, such as Speeding (15 to 29 mph over the speed limit) and Improper Passing. 5 point violations include Reckless Driving, Speeding (30 mph over the speed limit), and Passing a School bus. Leaving the scene of an injury accident is an eight-point violation. Two points are added for traffic violations committed outside of the state of New Jersey.

View the official complete NJ point table.

How will points affect you

  • If you get six or more points within three years on your current NJ driving record, you will be assessed a surcharge.
  • If you get 12 or more points on your current NJ driving record, your license will be suspended.
  • Receiving 2 points can result in an increase in your NJ auto insurance rates. 4 points generally results in a much greater increase.
  • Your NJ insurance company is permitted to cancel your policy if you or someone else on your insurance plan gets 5 or more points.

Removing points from your driving record

Although the MVC keeps a permanent record of all the points you’ve earned on your driving record, it is possible to earn point deductions by remaining violation and suspension-free for one year or by taking qualified driving courses approved by the MVC. Three points will be subtracted from your total for each year you go without a violation or suspension. You may also earn a two-point deduction by taking a MVC-approved defensive driving course, this course may be used to subtract points only once every five years. A driver improvement program may be used to subtract three points from your driving record once every two years, and a probationary driver program will also earn a three-point deduction.

Prevent getting points on your record

The best way to keep your NJ insurance premiums down and to prevent NJ motor vehicle surcharges is not to get the points on your driving record. The Law Firm of Richard Huizenga can help you. We have experience in the New Jersey Municipal Courts and we will go to court with you and negotiate with the prosecutor and the police officer to reduce or eliminate the points you are facing. In many cases, even with regards to speeding tickets, we will be able to have the charge reduced to an Unsafe Operation Violation under N.J.S.A. 39:4-97.2, which results in no motor vehicle points for the first two violations of the statute. In some cases we are able to have non-speeding offenses reduced to other no point violations even for drivers who have used up their two available unsafe operation violations.
If you are a New Jersey licensed driver and receive an out-of-state moving violation, New Jersey will assess 2 points against you regardless of what the violation is. For example, if you receive a speeding ticket in New York, you will get two points on your New Jersey driving record for that violation.
If you are an out of state licensed driver and receive a moving violation in New Jersey, New Jersey will report the conviction to your home state and your home state will assess points based on the policy of your home state. Let the Law Firm of Richard Huizenga help you eliminate or reduce the points that are transferred back to your home state. We will work with you to obtain the results that will be best for your home state and your circumstances. Most of the Municipal Courts in NJ will permit you to authorize our law firm to appear on your behalf without you having to travel to New Jersey for a court appearance. We will appear in court for you and negotiate the best possible outcome to minimize the points that will be transferred back to your home state.

Traffic violations and your CDL

If you have a Commercial Drivers License in NJ, you are subject to additional penalties if you are convicted of certain moving violations. These penalties frequently include suspension of your CDL even if you were not driving a Commercial Vehicle when you received the ticket.

For more information on a specific NJ driving violation, please select one from the list below:

  • Failing to Observe a Police Officer’s Directions (NJSA 39:4-57)
  • Driving on public or private property to avoid a traffic sign or signal (NJSA 39:4-66.2)
  • Driving on sidewalk (NJSA 39:4-71)
  • Failure to obey direction of officer (NJSA 39:4-80)
  • Failure to observe traffic signals (NJSA 39:4-81)
  • Failure to keep right (NJSA 39:4-82)
  • Improper operating of vehicle on divided highway or divider (NJSA 39:4-82.1)
  • Failure to keep right at intersection (N.J.S.A. 39:4-83)
  • Failure to pass to right of vehicle proceeding in opposite direction (NJSA 39:4-84)
  • Improper passing on right or off roadway (NJSA 39:4-85)
  • Wrong way on a one-way street (NJSA 39:4-85.1)
  • Improper passing in no passing zone (NJSA 39:4-86)
  • Failure to yield to overtaking vehicle (NJSA 39:4-87)
  • Failure to observe traffic lanes (NJSA 39:4-88)
  • Tailgating (NJSA 39:4-89)
  • Failure to yield at intersection (NJSA 39:4-90)
  • Failure to use proper entrances to limited-access highways (NJSA 39:4-90.1)
  • Failure to yield to emergency vehicles (NJSA 39:4-91 and 39:4-92)
  • Racing on a Highway (NJSA 39:4-52)
  • Reckless Driving (NJSA 39:4-96)
  • Careless Driving NJSA 39:4-97
  • Driving While License Suspended (NJSA 39:3-40)
  • Driving While Intoxicated (NJSA 39:4-50)
  • Slow Speed Blocking Traffic (NJSA 39:4-97.1)
  • Driving in an Unsafe Manner (NJSA 39:4-97.2)
  • Exceeding Maximum Speed (NJSA 39:4-98)
  • Failure to Stop for a Traffic Light (NJSA 39:4-105)
  • Improper Turn at Traffic Light (NJSA 39:4-115)
  • Failure to Stop at a Flashing Red Signal (NJSA 39:4-119)
  • Failure to Stop for Police Whistle (NJSA 39:4-122)
  • Improper Right or Left Turn (NJSA 39:4-123)
  • Improper Turn From Approved Turning Course (NJSA 39:4-124)
  • Improper U-Turn (NJSA 39:4-125)
  • Failure to Signal a Stop or Turn (NJSA 39:4-126)
  • Improper Backing or Turning in Street (NJSA 39:4-127)
  • Stopping at a Railroad Crossing (NJSA 39:4-127.1)
  • Improper Crossing of Bridge (NJSA 39:4-127.2)
  • Improper Crossing of Railroad Grade Crossing by Certain Vehicles (NJSA 39:4-128)
  • Improper Passing of School Bus (NJSA 39:4-128.1)
  • Improper Passing of a Frozen Dessert Truck (NJSA 39:4-128.4)
  • Leaving the Scene of an Injury Accident (NJSA 39:4-129)
  • Leaving the Scene of a Non-Injury Accident (NJSA 39:4-129(b))
  • Racing on a Public Highway (NJSA 39:5C-1)