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If you find yourself driving in New Jersey, it is important to be aware not only of the general road laws, but also what kind of fines you can get if you are driving in an unsafe manner. 

Although careless driving is different and less severe than “reckless driving,” it can still lead to jail time, fines, and removal of points on your driver’s permit. 

Read on to learn about the details of the law and its consequences.

What is a Careless Driving Ticket in New Jersey?

The careless driving ticket in New Jersey falls under the law of R.S.39:4-97 and is a result of what is deemed as potentially dangerous behavior on the road by a vehicle. Careless driving may be reported by the law enforcement or any public entity including other drivers.

According to the law, what can cause a driver to be fined for careless driving is the “result of purposeful, knowing, or heedless disregard for the safety of others and result in damages to, or the endangerment of, a person, animal, or property.”

This can also include the use of a non-hands free communication device by the driver of the vehicle, which is “unlawful except when the telephone is a hands-free wireless telephone.” Exceptions to this rule include if the driver is using a wireless, hand-held phone if their safety Is at risk or to report a public emergency or a vehicle engaging in reckless or careless driving.

What Are the Penalties for Careless Driving in New Jersey?

There are different penalties which may be inflicted onto the perpetrator because of careless driving. These include:

●   Fines

●   Driver’s License Points Removal

●   Court Costs

●   Surcharge

●   Insurance Increase

Fines

The driver will receive a fine anywhere between $85 and $140 depending on the context in which they were carelessly driving. If the careless driving occurred on a highway, the fine will be greater than if it had been perpetrated on a smaller road, because of the risk factors of driving high-speed.

The average court costs due to “Careless driving where no accident involved personal injury” is $85, along with the addition of the two points to the driver’s license. For careless driving in a “Safe Corridor, Construction Zone or 65 MPH area” with no injuries involved, the fine is $140.

Points

The number of points added to someone’s driver’s license persecuted for careless driving can be up to two points. According to the New Jersey State Vehicle Commission (NJMVC), this will depend on the potential danger caused by the driver, if the driver was on their phone, if any destruction was done, and whether the driver caused any traffic delays.

In New Jersey, once you reach 12 to 18 points over a two-year period, you will face a license of 30 days. The number of days increases exponentially with the number of points received. These points will expire if no violations are caused after the initial violation date over three years.

Court Costs

The New Jersey court filing fees can all be found here. Basic New Jersey court filing fees such as receiving a document with certification costs $15 and receiving a certified document with seal of court will cost you $25.

The Difference Between Careless Driving and Reckless Driving in New Jersey

The main difference between careless driving and reckless driving is that the latter is considered to be intentional, while the former is not. Reckless driving means the driver was conscious of driving in an unsafe or chaotic manner, while a careless driver acted in a potentially hazardous way accidentally.

Surcharges & Insurance Increase

According to the New Jersey state surcharge brochure, a driver who has accumulated six points will receive a surcharge of $150 and $25 per additional point. These surcharges can be paid online, by phone, by mail, or in person.

Your automobile insurance costs may increase if you have points added to your license due to careless driving. This will depend on each insurance company, but in general, automobile insurance companies will increase your premiums by $100 to $200 a year if you have accumulated several points.

Can a Careless Driving Ticket be Reduced in NJ?

To contest a careless driving ticket, begin by considering whether your ticket can be reduced. Careless driving is less significant than reckless driving, and because it is considered to be unintentional, it may be more difficult to fight. However, if you believe the persecution to be unfair, there are ways to contest a careless driving ticket.

For example, you can context a careless driving ticket 39:4-97 with 39:4-97.2, which is designated as: “Driving in an unsafe manner,” in which case points are only added after the third offense caused within five subsequent years. That said, there will be a surcharge of $250 to contest the original ticket, and you should speak with a lawyer before deciding to do this.

How long does a careless driving ticket stay on your record in NJ?

Although the points will reduce over time if you have no more accidents or break any driving laws, your careless driving violation will stay on your record forever. If you only have a careless driving violation, the points should be gone in the three years following the violation.

How to fight a careless driving ticket in NJ

If you believe you have been wrongly accused of receiving a careless driving ticket, you should take the time to contest the violation, as it will stay on your driver’s record forever. However, the process is long and strenuous, and hiring a professional is necessary to ensure you have to win the battle.

You can easily get in touch with professional lawyers to fight your careless driving ticket on the WinIt App. WinIt is an app designed to support people who have received parking or traffic tickets by providing professional advice and creating the best possible dispute plan for your case.

To use WinIt, begin by downloading the app, taking a picture of your ticket, or searching through the server to find the ticket associated with your vehicle, and submit the evidence for the team to review. From there, the team will take care of the rest, and will not charge you unless your ticket is dismissed. Their pricing is 50% of the fine originally issued.

How to Plead Guilty and Pay a Careless Driving Ticket

Before pleading guilty to a careless driving ticket, you should submit your ticket for review to a professional, such as the above-mentioned WinIt team. That said, if you decide to plead guilty, you should do it as quickly as possible to avoid any surcharges and delay fines you could face by not paying your ticket.

To plead guilty, you will need to check your ticket if you can simply pay the fine either online, over the phone, or in person at a municipal office, or if you need to attend your court date. For most speeding or careless driving tickets, you should be able to pay off the fine using one of the methods above without having to show up to court.

New Jersey has an online portal set-up to pay fines easily and quickly on your phone or computer. If you do not have access to your ticket information, begin by looking it up through the Municipal Court Case Search (MCCS) online. Next, use the New Jersey Municipal Courts Direct (NJMCdirect) platform to pay your ticket. By following these steps, you can quickly and easily pay off your fine without having to face any surcharges in the future.

Conclusion

Before accepting a ticket, it is important to talk with a professional who will do the necessary research to see if you can avoid being fined, having points added to your license, and receiving a careless driving violation on your record permanently. Using this guide is a great way to ensure you save as much money and time as possible if you are faced with a careless driving violation in New Jersey.