When people get a traffic ticket, one of the first things that many of them want to know is, “How many points will I get for this offense.” It really depends on what they mean when they say points. In North Carolina, there are two systems of points. The first is points on a drivers license, and the second is insurance points. These point amounts are not necessarily always the same.
Getting points on your drivers license can cause you to lose your license. If you accumulate 12 drivers license points in 3 years, your license will be revoked. There are slight complications to this system. For instance, if you have had your license revoked in the past three years, then it only takes 8 points for you to have your license revoked again. It is possible to get rid of some of the points on your license if you undergo a driver improvement clinic. The first time that the license is revoked, it is revoked for not more than 60 days. The second time, it is revoked for not more than 6 months, and any subsequent time it is revoked for not more than one year. As you can see, drivers license points are a serious aspect to any traffic ticket.
Insurance points are another thing altogether. Insurance points cause a person’s insurance premiums to increase. Insurance points are set up under the North Carolina Safe Drivers Incentive Program. Under this system, for every point you get, you can expect an increase in your insurance costs. For instance, if someone gets 4 points, they can expect their insurance to go up nearly 80%. This is a huge aspect of the punishment from a traffic ticket. Clearly, when you are dealing with insurance points, they can make a huge difference in how much you have to pay for auto insurance.
So whenever you get a ticket, you have to think about the impact that drivers license points will have, and the effects of the insurance points. To find out what point values particular offenses have, contact a local traffic ticket attorney.
