Driving with a suspended license is a bad idea because if you get caught, you could be in serious trouble with the law. You'll face fines, and you could have your license suspension extended.
In New Jersey, the fine for a first-time offense is $500. You can also face an extension on your license suspension of up to six months. With a conviction, you could be asked to pay $250 a year for three years following the conviction.
Second offenses come with a fine of $750 and imprisonment for no longer than five days. Third offenses have much higher financial penalties, costing $1,000 and having the potential for 10 days imprisonment.
What happens if you cause an accident when driving with a suspended license?
In that case, you may lose your license for longer, be assessed a fine and may be imprisoned for no less than 45 days upon conviction.
What happens if you're intoxicated when driving with a suspended license?
You'll face an additional fine of $500 and have your license suspended for at least one additional year on top of all other possible penalties.
In any case, where you're charged with driving in a way that violates the law, it's in your best interests to do all you can to defend your rights. If you don't, you'll have a greater chance of losing your license for longer than necessary, paying harsh fines and potentially getting long jail sentences. With a good defense, you'll reduce the risk of harsher penalties impacting you at this moment and in the future.