Rhode Islanders who come to New York, be careful!
Both Rhode Island and New York are members of the Driver’s License Compact, which means if you get a traffic ticket in NY but are licensed in Rhode Island, RI will be notified about the ticket you received.
Since there is a lot of misinformation floating around the Internet about out-of-state traffic tickets, we took the time to do the research so you do not have to.
The following information represents—to the best of our knowledge—everything you need to know about receiving a New York traffic ticket when you are a Rhode Island driver’s license holder.
Do New York Points Transfer to Rhode Island?
As a Rhode Island driver, you already know that your state does not have a point system. Consequently, NY points do not transfer for RI drivers. Nevertheless, the conviction itself will appear on your record, and this is usually just as bad in a state that does not have a point system.
Additionally, accumulating points in New York has consequences regardless of which state you are licensed in. These include the Driver Responsibility Assessment and possible suspension of your right to drive in New York.
Traffic Tickets and Insurance Rates
Since the New York violation will appear on your Rhode Island driver’s abstract and record, your insurance company will be notified about the violation any time that they recalculate your rate or have a routine update of their system (which happens more often than you might think).
Therefore, your insurance rates can skyrocket for an out-of-state ticket.
According to the InsuranceQuotes.com calculator, for a RI driver with a policy of $1,000 per year, a ticket for speeding 16-30 MPH over the limit could increase your rate by 43%.
This statistic is equally applicable for out-of-state tickets just as much as it is for in-state traffic tickets.
Fines & Surcharges
As an out-of-state driver, you get hit with double duty, so to speak. You face a high insurance hike for being a Rhode Island driver with a traffic ticket conviction and the steep fines of New York.
By the time everything is said and done, you could be facing thousands of dollars in out of pocket expenses just for a simple speeding ticket you received on a vacation or business trip to New York.
Driver Responsibility Assessment
The Driver Responsibility Assessment (DRA) is an additional fine New York gives out, and it applies even for out-of-state drivers like you.
The penalty works as follows: if you accrue 6 points in 18 months, your fine will be $100 per year for 3 years (or $300 up front). For every point above 6 that you receive in 18 months, you will have to pay $25 per year for 3 years. This means 2 extra points will cost you $150 more over 3 years.
Not only that, but a drug- or alcohol-related conviction (or refusing to submit to a chemical test) translates into a $250 assessment per year for 3 years ($750 total).
Suspension of NY Driving Privileges
If you are a Rhode Island driver and commit NY traffic offenses that total 11 points or more under New York’s point system, you will lose your New York driving privileges.
This also applies for being convicted of speeding three times within an 18 month span and for failing to respond to a New York traffic ticket.
Not only that, but it is highly likely that Rhode Island will honor the suspension in their state. That means that your Rhode Island driver’s license can be suspended simply because you received and pled guilty to some New York traffic tickets.
Although it might be tempting to simply plead guilty and pay the fine, doing so will not make these negative consequences go away. In fact, the conviction is the very thing that brings most of them on.
Who Should You Contact?
If you recently received a New York traffic ticket, contact Rosenblum Law today at 888-883-5529.
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