The penalty for driving without insurance in New Jersey is severe. In many ways, it is worse than a first offense DWI. A person who is convicted for a first offense of driving their car, or letting someone else drive their car, without insurance, will lose their driving privileges for 1 year, and pay a fine of between $300 and $1,000. The judge may also impose community service. In comparison, even a first offense for a second tier DWI only has a 7 month loss of license. If you’ve been charged with this offense you are likely in disbelief as to how serious the consequences are. As a New Jersey traffic attorney who has defended countless clients in municipal court for this offense, I have mixed feelings about these penalties.
Continue reading “Driving Without Insurance in New Jersey”Month: October 2014
DWI in New Jersey: Serious Consequences
You’ve heard the warnings a million times (at least). “Don’t drink and drive!” You know it’s good advice. You know it’s dangerous to do it. After all you could kill yourself, or someone else. And yet… Despite having plead guilty to a DWI charge in 2004, and telling the judge that he, “recognize[ed] the seriousness of this mistake. I’ve learned from this mistake and will continue learning from this mistake for the rest of my life”, The most decorated athlete in Olympic history, Michael Phelps has once again been charged with DWI. His BAC (blood alcohol content) was nearly twice the legal limit, it was reported. If that is true, Phelps wasn’t just a little buzzed, he was absolutely hammered. In New Jersey in 2012, 550 people died in motor vehicle accidents. Of those, 169 were DWI related. That means almost 31% of the fatalities that occurred may have been completely preventable if alcohol wasn’t involved. And still people continue to not only fail to heed this advice, they fail to learn from their own mistakes.
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