What is a driver civil penalty for traffic violations?

New York State takes its driving regulations seriously. This is a matter of safety as it seeks to ensure that drivers operate their vehicles based on the law and are made to face penalties if they fail to do so. In some cases, drivers will be required to pay a civil penalty for certain offenses. Understanding who must pay and when it must be paid is important to have the driver’s license reinstated after it has been suspended or revoked.

There will be a driver civil penalty if the driver was in violation of the New York State Zero Tolerance Law for drivers under the age of 21 who operated under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The driver’s license can also be revoked if the driver was asked by a law enforcement officer to submit to a chemical test to determine the presence of alcohol or drugs in the system; if the vehicle was driven without insurance; or if there was an accident and the driver did not have liability insurance.

Depending on the violation, there are different amounts that must be paid for the civil penalty. For the first and second violation of the Zero Tolerance Law, it is $125. For a chemical test refusal, it will be $500. A commercial operator who refuses a chemical test will be charged $550. If there is a chemical test refusal within five years of a prior DWI or chemical test refusal, it will be $750. It is the same for a commercial driver. Violating the chemical test refusal law as part of a violation of Zero Tolerance will result in a fine of $500. If it is a second or subsequent violation of the chemical test law or Zero Tolerance, it will be $750. For driving or allowing the vehicle to be driven without insurance, it will be a fine of $750.

When charged with a violation that will lead to a driver’s license suspension, there are alternatives to combat the allegations and avoid the suspension or revocation and the need to pay a civil penalty. A legal professional can help those who are confronted with traffic violations to try and avoid the suspension or if there are issues with civil penalties or other accusations that can hinder a person’s ability to drive. Having legal help is imperative and a lawyer should be contacted immediately.