![]() Well, shouldn’t this information be listed on the ticket, so that Fred knew what he was getting himself into before pleading guilty? One would think so, but in most instances this is not the case and accordingly, most out-of-state driver calling my office to discuss the DRA are completely blindsided by this news. What this actually means, is that if he doesn’t pay, his driving privileges in the State of New York will be suspended, which, in some instances, can cause his home state to take similar action unless and until the New York matter is resolved. To add insult to injury, the letter further states that he must pay at least the minimum amount by the payment date or his driver license will be suspended. ![]() After he pleads guilty, the court sends him an invoice to pay the fine which he immediately takes care of and moves on with his life.Ībout a month later, however, Fred opens a letter from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles which informs him that since he plead guilty to a 6-point ticket, he must pay a New York State Driver Responsibility Assessment of $300.00, which is payable at once or at the rate of $100.00 a year for 3 years. No problem, right? At first, the answer is no. Rather than contacting a Rockland County Speeding Ticket Lawyer, he simply pleads guilty and pays the fine. Once he crossed the Tappan Zee Bridge and entered Rockland County, he gets pulled over and receives a Speeding Ticket for driving 76 mph in a 55 mph zone (a 6-point ticket). The DRA applies to all drivers, including those holding driver’s licenses issued by another state and applies to first time and repeat offenders.īy way of example, Fred who lives in and is licensed to drive by the State of Connecticut, on a beautiful summer day decides to load the family into the minivan and take a ride to Rockland Lake State Park in Rockland County, New York. ![]() In the case of Speeding Tickets, they are based upon the number of miles per hour (“MPH”) over the speed limit and are set as follows: In New York, points are imposed for most traffic offenses. The purpose of the assessment is to prevent the repeated behavior of problem drivers and to improve traffic safety.” ( citation). This fee is in addition to any fines, penalties or surcharges that you must pay for a traffic conviction. Per NYS DMV’s website, “he driver responsibility assessment is a fee you must pay to DMV over a three year period if you are convicted of certain traffic offenses in New York State or accumulate 6 or more points on your driving record within 18 months. The problem these out-of-state motorists have, is that they weren’t aware that in the State of New York, the accumulation of 6 or more points during an 18-month period triggers the imposition of a Driver Responsibility Assessment (“DRA”) by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicle (“DMV”). If this is where the story ends, it wouldn’t even be worth writing about it. In the realm of Speeding and Traffic tickets, however, lately I have been receiving the same call over and over again from out-of-state drivers informing me that they received a ticket in New York and rather than initially speaking with a New York Traffic Ticket Attorney to discuss their options, they simply plead guilty and paid the fine. Like anyone in business for themselves, I am pleased when my phone rings and a new potential client calls to discuss their case and what I can do to help them. WHEN AN OUT OF STATE DRIVER GETS A TICKET IN NEW YORK, PART 2
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