Getting pulled over is a bad experience on the best of days, but without auto insurance it can be excruciating. Driving without motor vehicle insurance is one of the costliest New Jersey traffic violations, and the penalties escalate quickly with each subsequent offense.
Luckily, you have the right to fight these charges and retain your privilege to drive. With the help of a New Jersey driving without insurance lawyer from Jean Baptiste & Associates, LLC, you stand a much better chance of succeeding.
NEW JERSEY ROAD RULES
Every driver in New Jersey must have a minimum of $15,000 worth of auto insurance for injury or death per person and $5,000 of insurance to cover property damage. This is known as basic coverage, but it is a much better idea to have the more comprehensive standard coverage.
Regardless, if you have been charged with driving without insurance, you are potentially facing some tough justice and should contact a New Jersey uninsured driver lawyer from our firm immediately.
UNINSURED SANCTIONS IN NEW JERSEY
The consequences of driving uninsured are costly and can be life altering. The full expense you face depends on how many times you have been charged in the past. Whether you are a first-time offender or a repeat offender, you’ll want to work with a New Jersey driving without insurance lawyer from our office.
If it is only your first offense, your penalties may include the following:
- A fine between $300 and $1,000
- A term of community service
- A mandatory suspension of your license for one year
For every offense after that, you may receive the following penalties:
- A fine that could reach as much as $5,000
- Fourteen days in jail
- Thirty days of community service
- A mandatory suspension of your license for at least two years—possibly indefinitely—from the date of the conviction
These penalties bear not only the obvious costs, but when you do get your license back, your insurance rates could be extraordinarily high. Driving without insurance means you will be charged nine points for the infraction. You will also have to pay a $250 surcharge every year for three years. There are a few ways to fight the charges, but you will need a knowledgeable New Jersey driving without insurance lawyer by your side to succeed.
A NEW JERSEY UNINSURED DRIVER LAWYER CAN HELP YOU
Time is a big factor in how much your charge can be reduced. If you were only without insurance for sixty days or less, it is more likely that your New Jersey driving without insurance lawyer can get the charge cut down to a suspended or unlicensed driver violation. These still carry strong penalties, including license suspension for sixty days, but at least not a one-year suspension.
Depending on your scenario, we may also be able to prove that your spouse was responsible for paying the liability insurance, and that you had no intention of driving illegally—or at least require the prosecution to prove otherwise.
There are also defenses that can be made regarding a lack of adequate notice of your policy’s cancellation or that it was cancelled unlawfully by the insurance provider. If, for example, you have recently moved, it is very possible you didn’t get any notice at all. Your New Jersey uninsured driver lawyer will identify the best approach for your case.
CONSULT A NEW JERSEY DRIVING WITHOUT INSURANCE LAWYER
With all of these possibilities, you and your New Jersey uninsured driver lawyer stand a good chance of reaching a deal with the prosecution. Most commonly, you will have to plead to a lesser charge, but you can avoid a one-year suspension, three years of surcharges, and jail time.
If you have been charged with uninsured driving, you need the help of a professional New Jersey driving without insurance lawyer from Jean Baptiste & Associates, LLC to successfully contest it. Call us to set up a free consultation or fill out the form below. You need to fight tickets like these, because they have long-reaching and long-lasting effects.