If your teenager has a New Jersey probationary driver’s license and receives a speeding ticket, careless driving ticket, or another moving violation, do not automatically pay the ticket.
Paying a traffic ticket generally means pleading guilty to the offense. If the violation carries motor vehicle points, those points can become part of your teenager’s MVC record and may have additional consequences because your teenager still holds a probationary license.
Before paying the ticket, find out how many points the offense carries, whether your teenager has any prior violations or points and whether the conviction could affect the probationary license.
If your teenager has already obtained a basic New Jersey driver’s license, the probationary-license provisions do not apply, even if your child is still under age 21.
Why Shouldn’t We Just Pay the Ticket?
Many New Jersey traffic tickets can be paid online, but paying the fine generally means pleading guilty to the offense.
For a teenager with a probationary license, the amount of the fine may be less important than the points and potential licensing consequences.
Before paying the ticket, parents should know:
- What offense is charged?
- How many points does it carry?
- Does your teenager have any prior moving violations or points?
- Could the conviction trigger additional probationary-license consequences?
- Is there a factual or legal defense?
- Could the charge potentially be dismissed, amended, or otherwise resolved more favorably?
The important question is not simply how much the ticket costs. It is what a conviction could mean for your teenager’s driving record and probationary license.
What Traffic Tickets Can Affect a Probationary Driver?
Some common traffic tickets issued to probationary drivers include:
Speeding: N.J.S.A. 39:4-98
Careless Driving: N.J.S.A. 39:4-97
Failure to Observe a Traffic Signal: N.J.S.A. 39:4-81
Improper Passing: N.J.S.A. 39:4-85
Failure to Maintain Lane: N.J.S.A. 39:4-88
Other moving violations may also carry motor vehicle points and other consequences.
The consequences are not the same for every ticket. Even a speeding ticket can carry different point assessments depending upon how far above the speed limit the driver is convicted of traveling.
For a driver who still holds a probationary license, those points can be especially important because they may trigger consequences beyond those associated with the traffic ticket itself.
Can a Traffic Ticket Affect My Teenager’s Probationary License?
Yes.
New Jersey has additional rules for drivers who still hold probationary licenses.
Under N.J.S.A. 39:3-13.4, a probationary license holder who accumulates more than two motor vehicle points or is convicted of certain specified offenses can be required, for a first qualifying violation, to complete remedial driver training.
The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission also administers a Probationary Driver Program (PDP) for probationary drivers who meet certain point and moving-violation requirements.
The important point for parents is that a probationary driver may face consequences from the traffic ticket itself and additional consequences because the driver still holds a probationary license.
That is why it is important to look at your teenager’s entire driving record before deciding how to resolve the ticket.
At Sutnick & Sutnick Attorneys at Law, we represent young drivers in New Jersey Municipal Courts and help parents determine whether a traffic ticket may result in additional consequences for a teenager who still holds a probationary license.
Can My Teenager’s Probationary License Be Suspended?
Potentially.
Under New Jersey’s probationary-license law, subsequent qualifying violations can lead to more serious consequences.
A second or subsequent qualifying violation can result in a three-month suspension of the probationary driver’s license and postponement of eligibility for a basic driver’s license for an equivalent period.
Certain serious traffic offenses may also carry their own suspension or other penalties.
For a teenager who relies on driving to get to school, college, work, sports, an internship, or other activities, losing driving privileges for several months can be a significant consequence.
What if My Teenager Really Was Speeding or Made a Mistake?
Not every teenager who receives a traffic ticket was wrongly charged.
Young drivers are inexperienced. They sometimes speed, make a poor decision at an intersection, follow another vehicle too closely or make a mistake that contributes to an accident.
Hiring a lawyer does not mean claiming your teenager did nothing wrong.
Sometimes there is a legitimate defense to the charge. In other cases, the more realistic goal is to obtain a fair resolution that avoids unnecessary points or licensing consequences.
A young driver should take responsibility for a mistake. But when the circumstances allow, one mistake behind the wheel should not result in consequences that are disproportionate to what actually happened.
Can a Lawyer Help With a Probationary Driver’s Traffic Ticket?
Depending upon the circumstances, an attorney may be able to challenge the ticket or seek a different resolution.
An attorney can review:
- The traffic summons;
- Your teenager’s MVC record;
- Any prior tickets or points;
- The number of points associated with the new charge;
- The circumstances surrounding the traffic stop or accident; and
- Any available photographs, witnesses, dashcam footage, or other evidence.
In some cases, there may be a legal or factual basis to seek dismissal. In others, it may be appropriate to seek an amendment to an offense that reduces the points or other consequences.
Every case is different, and no particular outcome can be guaranteed.
The important thing is to understand the consequences and available options before your teenager pleads guilty.
What Should I Do if My Teenager With a Probationary License Just Got a Ticket?
First, do not automatically pay the ticket online.
Look at the summons and determine exactly what your teenager was charged with. Find out whether the offense carries points and how many.
You should also determine whether your teenager has any prior tickets or motor vehicle points. For a probationary driver, the prior driving record may be particularly important in determining the consequences of another conviction.
If the ticket resulted from an accident or there is other evidence relating to what happened, preserve photographs, dashcam footage, witness information and other relevant evidence.
If your teenager received a probationary-license traffic ticket in Bergen County or elsewhere in New Jersey, the first step is to determine the charge, the number of points involved, and the driver’s prior record.
Then consider speaking with a New Jersey traffic attorney before resolving the ticket.
Did Your Teenager Get a Traffic Ticket While Driving With a New Jersey Probationary License?
At Sutnick & Sutnick Attorneys at Law, our attorneys represent drivers in Municipal Courts throughout New Jersey. Our office is located in Hackensack, Bergen County, and we help parents and young drivers understand the potential consequences of speeding, careless driving, and other traffic charges.
Before your teenager pays the ticket, call Sutnick & Sutnick to find out what the conviction could mean for a probationary license and whether there may be a better way to resolve the case.
Your teenager may have made a mistake. Our job is to seek a fair resolution and, whenever the facts and law permit, avoid unnecessary points or licensing consequences that can make one mistake more damaging than it needs to be.