careless driving ticket in nj

[Jman]

well last saturday i took out the cobra to go drop off some paperwork a couple towns over. (I'm a truck driver and i had to drop off all the bills and my invoice to get paid the next week.) well on the way through town at a light, i whipped around a turn from a light. i know how it sounds but it wasn't anything crazy. just gave it a little kick no rubber. I got pulled over and was issued a careless driving ticket. although i just really accelerated faster but wasn't speeding. I was being respectful. He also made it a point that he is going to issue me a summons with my firefighter plates. don't really know where he was going with this. Now i have a class A and a clean record.. I asked the other officers in town and said it's 2 points. Would I be able to plea it down to unsafe operation? How does this work? If so would NJ still tack on any points? I drive tractor trailer and see stupidity all the time. the one time I just give her a little more umph i get busted figures. Just wanted to ask you LEO's your opinion and a little advise. I can't really afford any points since i pay my own trucking insurance and i've heard the states a little sensitive with commercial liscenses. THANKS

 

[Jersey Vics]

I was in the same boat before I got my CDL four years ago and I got it reduced to no point = Unsafe Driving.


I was hanging out with a few members of this site in Woodbridge Mall, I was giving them a ride from one side of the mall parking lot to the other where the Lightning was parked.

God pulled over by a Woodbridge PO in an unmarked Vic saying I didn't come to a full stop at a mall parking lot stop sign. I replied to him that I did stop and he issued me a careless driving ticket.

It was embarrasing.

--Russ

 

[Jman]

haha i used to live in EP haha yeah man i'm usually pretty good with that stuff.. but i guess the cop didn't like it. the other cops i'm asking are just bustin my balls so i figured i'd ask u guys in here...

 

[Jman]

although u got that dropped to a lesser offense did trenton tack on any points anyways or the insurance company?

 

[Jersey Vics]

no... unsafe driving is a no point violation, since I plead guilty to that there were no DMV or insurance points.

I came to court, went into the prosecutor's office like the moderator on this board advised and started telling him my life story.... he cut me short, offered unsafe driving and I jumped on the opportunity. That was the end of that.


a few weeks back, fourt years since the last incident that I got a ticket for which I just described, I got the slowest possible speeding ticket written upstate new york 400 miles away... I guess the cop was bored...


--Russ

 

[Jman]

now whats the difference if there is any with unsafe driving, and unsafe operation since thats what everyone's been throwin at me.....

 

[mvcrash]

You can ask to plea it down to a NO POINT violation. Talk to the Prosecutor. If he allows you to plea, there are heavy fines, up near $400 bucks, but no points. The number of the violation is 39:4-97.3. You can do this 3 times in 10 years. It is a downgrade to the Careless driving offense. Good luck!!!

 

[01satinsilver]

The ticket that you will recieve if you plead down is "Operation in a unsafe manner" is a no point ticket but it carries a fine of I belive first offense is no more than $150. Than the lovely state of NJ says you pleaded down to what should be a reckless driving ticket so now we will hit you with a $250 NJ insurance surcharge (it doesnt go on your insurance but goes directly to the state for certain tickets). Than of course there is court fees. Expect it to be a $500 day in court.

And you can only do this twice in 5 years. Third time is 4 points. Not 3 times in 10 years.

 

[BIGV]

Sparta huh I live in vernon I actually workout with a sparta LT. nice guy I know a few of the officers there. In my court its 385.00 I do it all the time if I like the person and they where respectful I tell them to plead not guilty and I will drop the points. This is however up to the officer and prosecutor they do not have to drop the points it will rely on your driving record and if you pissed off the officer or not. As far as the firefighter plate remark I have the same problem we get to now the fireman from the fire calls and some of them drive around crazy and expect to just get off because they are fireman. You may have gotten the ticket because of how other fireman in your town have been driving. We just had one of our fireman light off a shit load of fireworks (on township property no less) and when the officer was walking across the field to speak with him fireworks began to go off all around him. They where on a timed fuse and no one yelled at him to get out of the way. Lets just say the township attorney is now involved.

 

[mvcrash]

The ticket that you will recieve if you plead down is "Operation in a unsafe manner" is a no point ticket but it carries a fine of I belive first offense is no more than $150. Than the lovely state of NJ says you pleaded down to what should be a reckless driving ticket so now we will hit you with a $250 NJ insurance surcharge (it doesnt go on your insurance but goes directly to the state for certain tickets). Than of course there is court fees. Expect it to be a $500 day in court.

And you can only do this twice in 5 years. Third time is 4 points. Not 3 times in 10 years.

Where do you get your information from?

 

[Jman]

so with this no point thing will it still reflect on my abstract or insurance since there is a surcharge? haha i think the cop was pissed at me, was respectful.. he started yellin at me and i might of said something that rubbed him wrong. i know there is a bit of tension with the cops and firemen, why do i have to be involved in a lovers quarrel?
get the ticket and thats it.. so if i go to court to talk to the prosecutor then he/she's gotta ask the cop?

 

[FordSVTFan]

If you ask the prosecutor for a reduction, the prosecutor will ask the officer for the particulars and his opinion/preference.

 

[01satinsilver]

Where do you get your information from?

Aside from just recently going through this there are a couple of lawyer sites that show it and the statue number is 39:4-97.2
39:4-97 is carless driving
39:4-97.1 is destruction of farm equipment or something like that
39:4-97.2 Unsafe driving/unsafe operation
39:4-97.3 is the violation for using a cell phone while driving.

http://www.njlaws.com/unsafe_driving.htm

And as far as the $250 insurance surcharge...

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cach...004c69.pdf+39:4-97.2&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4

 

[Jman]

so if the cop has a chip on his shoulder and don't like me, i can't get screwed and not be able to plea with the prosecutor? so its up to both of them? oh boy!

 

[01satinsilver]

Just go in there well dressed and with a good attitude. LEO's are regular people just like me and you. They have emotions and compassion. If someone was a ass to you would you show them any compassion? While in your mind (and mine) you may have done what you thought was nothing wrong since my situation was nearly identical except I was leaving a bar(totally sober) I was picking up a drunk friend who had enough common sense not to drive and call for a ride home. Going WOT in a pullied 03/04 is loud and I shouldnt have done it especially leaving a bar at 2am. The LEO had a job to do and I respect him for that cause I could have been tanked driving like that. I expressed remorse and admitted my wrong doing. I walked away with the plead down ticket but you cannot avoid the $250 NJ insurance surcharge its a one time payment. Lesson learned.

 

[mvcrash]

Aside from just recently going through this there are a couple of lawyer sites that show it and the statue number is 39:4-97.2
39:4-97 is carless driving
39:4-97.1 is destruction of farm equipment or something like that
39:4-97.2 Unsafe driving/unsafe operation
39:4-97.3 is the violation for using a cell phone while driving.

http://www.njlaws.com/unsafe_driving.htm

And as far as the $250 insurance surcharge...

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cach...004c69.pdf+39:4-97.2&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4

Good Information thanks, I just asked a traffic guy and I guess he messed up. As far as the choice to plea or not is at the sole discretion of the Prosecutor, not the police. And that goes for MV Offenses as well as Criminal.

 

[FordSVTFan]

so if the cop has a chip on his shoulder and don't like me, i can't get screwed and not be able to plea with the prosecutor? so its up to both of them? oh boy!

Why would the cop have a chip on his shoulder?

He started yellin at me and i might of said something that rubbed him wrong

The fact is you are asking for a favor of the prosecutor and the officer. Would you walk into an automotive shop and "say something to rub the mechanic the wrong way" and then ask for a favor and expect it to be granted?

 

[Jman]

well i don't know.... i was definately respectful but after gettin yelled at for the whole half hour stop, maybe he could have misunderstood something....... i have no idea man
the whole chip on his shoulder thing-- why would he mention the fact that i have firefighter plates? I understand stop the car and issue a summons why make a remark about what plates a vehicle has? how are firefighter plates different from PBA plates, purple heart plates, first aider plates, american legion plates, senate plates? you see them on many cars... thats just what i conclude of it... I did not use my affiliation with anyone as an excuse... what if i pulled out my fop card?

 

[FordSVTFan]

Good Luck apparently you are going to need it.

 

[Jman]

whatever happened, happened! just asking a question about pleaing it down to that lesser offense. do i sense a bit of sarcasm? well thanks to everyone who chimed in....