Depending on which state your license is from will determine whether you can have points added onto your driving record for an out-of-state traffic violation.
The information below will help you better understand the role that out-of-state traffic tickets play in Mississippi and New York.
While Mississippi no longer suspends licenses for drivers who fail to pay a traffic ticket, New York does suspend driving privileges-even for drivers licensed in other states.
Unlike many other parts of the U.S., Mississippi has resisted the urban growth of other states. As such, drivers still enjoy sparsely populated roads cutting through rolling farmland to connect it’s many small towns. As such, the fast-paced, busy roadways of New York State could come as quite a shock to many Mississippi drivers who come to the Empire State for business or pleasure.
This shock could result in uncomfortable drivers accidentally committing traffic infractions. While Mississippi traffic tickets are not always cheap, the fines and penalties in New York can be notably more severe. Drivers from the Magnolia State should not make the mistake of assuming an out-of-state ticket won’t affect them back home. At the same time, those who give up and pay the ticket will face consequences they wouldn’t normally have to deal with as a result of New York’s point system. They also face possible insurance increases and risk losing the right to drive in one or both states.
The only way a Mississippi driver can avoid the penalties of a New York traffic violation is to fight the ticket!
Mississippi drivers will still suffer the penalties of tickets issued out of state thanks to the Driver’s License Compact. This is an interstate agreement whereby states share information about their respective drivers. That means the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) will be notified of any convictions for offenses that take place in New York. If a driver chooses to plead guilty, gets convicted in court, or refuses to pay the ticket, this will be noted in his/her driving record even though the offense occurred in New York.
The Mississippi DPS recently changed rules so that it would no longer suspend the license of drivers who are unable or refused to pay tickets. However, New York (and many other states) continue to suspend driving privileges for failing to respond to or pay a ticket.
Mississippi is one of nine states that does not use a point system. However, because both New York and Mississippi participate in the Compact, Mississippi drivers are susceptible to the consequences of New York’s point system. Too many points can lead to additional fines and even a suspension of driving privileges in the state.
As a rule, the Mississippi DPS suspends licenses for what it considers serious infractions, such as reckless driving, fleeing police, leaving the scene of an accident, and extreme cases of speeding. But those are not the only ways to drivers can lose their privileges. Judges have much discretion to suspend a license for drivers they feel are habitual offenders. That means some Mississippians could lose their license after three or four minor offenses (e.g. failure to yield or seatbelt violations) while others could wrack up six convictions or more and still retain their license.
New York is much more strict. Drivers can easily lose their right to drive in NY if they commit as little as two infractions that are worth 11 or more points. For example, one ticket for speeding 21 mph over the limit carries six points. Combine with any infraction worth five points or more (e.g. reckless driving, cell phone violations, failing to stop for a school bus) and one has already reached that threshold.
Moreover, as part of the Compact, Mississippi’s DPS can choose to reciprocate a suspension of privileges issued by another state. In addition to committing offenses worth 11 points or more, NY could suspend driving privileges for offenses such as participating in a speed contest, driving without auto insurance, or a second conviction for speeding in a work zone.
Insurance carriers check customer driving records regularly. Because Mississippi records out-of-state convictions, any tickets received in NY could jack up insurances rates. One estimate found that a single ticket for failing to signal can increase Mississippi premiums by as much as $171 per year.
Mississippi traffic fines vary from municipality to municipality. A ticket for rolling through a stop sign can range $141 to $219 based on where it was issued within the state. New York traffic fines are much more consistent but not any cheaper. On top of the fine, every ticket in NY also includes a mandatory state surcharge. This typically costs $88 to $93 per violation. Taking that into account, two tickets for blowing a stop sign and speeding 21 mph over the limit would cost $636 ($150 fine for running a red + $93 surcharge + $300 fine for speeding + $93 surcharge).
Surcharges aren’t the only hidden cost in New York tickets. The state also imposes a Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) when drivers commit an offense or offenses worth six points or more. The DRA is an annual fine that a driver must pay each year for three years after reaching six points. The cost is $100 plus an additional $25 for each point over six. As mentioned above, drivers who refuse to pay a DRA (or any fine from New York) will see their driving privileges in New York suspended.
The DRA for the above-mentioned tickets, which are worth a combined total of nine points (six for speeding and three for ignoring a stop sign) would cost $525, bringing the total amount a drive could pay to $1,161.
Likely not! A person--even one licensed outside New York--who hire a qualified NY traffic ticket attorney will most likely not have to return to New York to appear in court. New York allows an attorney to represent a driver in traffic court in most cases and make plea deals on his/her behalf. This can be huge logistical relief regardless of which state one lives in, eliminating the need to take time off from work or find a care situation for dependents--not to mention not having to pay for airfare.
The only way Mississippi drivers can fully avoid the consequences of an out-of-state traffic ticket is to hire an experienced traffic ticket attorney to fight the ticket for them. An attorney can advise a client on the penalties that an out of state ticket can bring and offer a strategy to help avoid them. Drivers who hire an attorney are more likely to see the points and fines associated with the ticket reduced or eliminated. The right attorney can also help a driver avoid the risk of a license suspension. In addition, as mentioned above, hiring an attorney most likely means a person will not have to fly back to New York to face the judge.
If you recently received an out-of-state traffic ticket, contact Rosenblum Law right away. Our team of experienced NY traffic ticket attorneys will be able to help you avoid the most serious consequences. Contact us today at 888-883-5529.
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