Throughout New York, drivers are aware of the potential fines or other consequences that may be assessed if they receive vehicular citations. Traffic violations can be received for many reasons including speeding, failure to obey traffic signs or signals, driving without licensing or insurance and more. The specific penalties vary based upon the nature of the circumstances at the time.
Much of New York traffic law is governed from the state level but some things are managed by individual counties. Residents in Suffolk County are currently dissatisfied with a relatively new process initiated by the county earlier this year and are calling for changes. In April, the county established a Traffic Violations Bureau so that it could manage income from traffic fines directly instead of sending the money to the state capital. As part of this effort, the county began assessing administrative fees on all traffic tickets, including those that were eventually dismissed by the courts.
A driver who is ticketed for any reason in Suffolk County currently must pay anywhere from $30 to $50 even after a successful traffic ticket defense. A recent news article on the subject indicated that the measure is a way to help the county fund the time and resources that are utilized to process such tickets and indicates that the county could generate as much as $10 million in such fees next year alone. However, some legislators have introduced a new bill to undo this action, in response to the request by many residents.
Knowing the laws in different parts of the state can be helpful in avoiding unexpected consequences. If you have received a traffic ticket and are in need of help for your defense, it can be well worth your time to speak with a attorney who has experience in such matters.
Source: CBS New York, “Ticket Dismissed? In Suffolk County, You’ll Have To Pay Anyway,” November 19, 2013