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The state of New Jersey’s careless driving law says, “A person who drives a vehicle carelessly, or without due caution and circumspection, in a manner so as to endanger, or be likely to endanger, a person or property, shall be guilty of careless driving.”
Not to be confused with reckless driving, careless driving has to do with the intent of the driver. Tickets issued for careless driving are usually less expensive than reckless driving tickets.
This article will go over the details of careless driving tickets in New Jersey and how to pay them.
What Is A Careless Driving Ticket In New Jersey?
The careless driving law itself is somewhat of a catch-all. This means that it prohibits any form of unsafe driving that is not covered by an existing traffic law.
In most careless driving cases, a police officer observes drivers on the road and finds that one individual is driving in a careless manner. This could mean anything from being distracted from the wheel or swerving around the road.
After being pulled over, a careless driving ticket will most likely be around $50, plus two to four points on your driver’s license.
This ticket will go on your record unless you fight it and win in court, which is unlikely. Though $50 is not too hefty of a ticket, there can be collateral consequences to careless driving.
What Are the Penalties for Careless Driving in New Jersey?
There are an array of penalties for careless driving in New Jersey, ranging from simple traffic fines to potential jail time.
Fines: For careless driving, drivers can be given tickets between $50 and $200. Fines do not increase if issued additional convictions.
Points: After given a conviction of careless driving, two points are assessed on a person’s New Jersey driver’s license.
Court costs: The cost of taking a careless driving ticket to court is $34 in court fees. This adds on to the cost of the ticket and possible surcharges.
Surcharges: If a driver is convicted of six or more points of traffic tickets in New Jersey over the course of three years, they have to pay a surcharge. Given on top of the ticket, a point-based surcharge costs $150 for the first one, and $25 for each point over six.
Car insurance rate increases: As with any ticket or driving-related conviction, careless driving can result in increases in insurance premiums.
Jail time: This is the most extreme of cases, but it can still happen. Drivers convicted of careless driving can be jailed for no more than 15 days. The decision to jail a careless driver is up to the judge on the case.
The Difference Between Careless Driving and Reckless Driving in New Jersey
As stated before, the difference between careless and reckless driving is related to the driver’s general intent.
For example, if a driver is distracted by something for just a moment and causes a crash, this would be an example of careless driving. On the other hand, if a driver is doing something like driving 90 miles per hour or weaving through cars dangerously, this is more likely to be considered reckless driving.
Reckless driving puts others in danger intentionally. Careless driving puts others in danger unintentionally.
Both are to be avoided and are punishable by law. However, reckless driving is considerably more detrimental to the person committing the crime, especially financially.
Can A Careless Driving Ticket Be Reduced In New Jersey?
If you do choose to go to court to fight a New Jersey careless driving ticket, you’ll usually be offered a plea bargain.
In most cases, the plea bargain, under the Unsafe Driving Statute, will reduce the ticket from 2-4 points to zero points. However, this comes with a $250 surcharge in addition to the fine and court costs. These fines are doubled if the conviction took place in a 65-mph or construction zone.
When trying to reduce the number of points placed on your license for a careless driving incident, you have to consider the financial costs to you.
If you end up winning your case, the ticket will be dropped and so will the charges.
How Long Does A Careless Driving Ticket Stay On Your Record In New Jersey?
Unfortunately, a careless driving ticket will stay on your abstract driving record forever in New Jersey.
There are things you can do to reduce the number of points on your license. However, a conviction or a ticket are forever.
How To Reduce Points On Your NJ License
Looking for ways to reduce the number of points on your license? There are a few in New Jersey.
● Take a defensive driving program offered by the NJ Motor Vehicle Commission; removes 2 points
● Enrolling in a driver improvement or probationary driver program; removes up to 3 points
● Driving for one year with no violations or suspensions; removes 3 points
How To Plead Guilty And Pay A Careless Driving Ticket
Using the Unsafe Driving plea is a good option for some. However, the additional costs can be daunting if you’re not in a good financial condition.
Pleading guilty in court and paying the ticket can be frustrating, but it is usually best. Though the conviction will always be on your record, the ability to get the number of points on your license down is always an option.
You can always pay down a ticket in NJ using the NJMCdirect portal.
Ultimately, whether you decide to plead guilty and pay the ticket or fight the charge is up to you. As with any traffic violation, the best thing to do is not drive carelessly in the first place and avoid the whole situation.
Conclusion
Though not as severe in punishment as reckless driving, careless driving is an offense to be avoided. Distracted driving can cause accidents and rack up the personal costs for you.
Paying a careless driving ticket is usually the best option, as fighting a conviction is typically quite difficult. However, it’s important to consider what sort of plea would be best for you in terms of collateral effects.