I Have Two Tickets for Driving Without Insurance. What Will Happen?
For someone charged under Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) Section 319, namely driving a motor vehicle without insurance, the penalties for conviction under this statute are severe. If convicted under VTL 319, not only must you pay hefty court fines and surcharges, but the DMV will assess a $750 civil penalty in addition to a one year revocation of your driver’s license. This violation truly requires the counsel of an experienced traffic attorney. Clearly, if you are able to obtain proof of coverage from your insurance carrier, this will result in the ticket being dismissed based upon proof of coverage.
However, often one receives this ticket because their auto insurance premium is usually paid via automatic debit payments and some issue arises with the payment. Or one simply forgets to make the necessary payment. You would be surprised how often carriers do not notify the insured motorist, and when someone is pulled over by a law enforcement officer, they are usually very surprised that not only is their vehicle uninsured, but the registration is suspended based on the carrier notifying DMV of a lapse in insurance. Depending upon the length of the lapse, the motorist’s driver’s license or driving privileges may be suspended as well.
The ramifications for the motorist will also weigh heavily upon whether the motorist is also the owner of the vehicle. If they are not the registered owner, the court may be more willing to work out a disposition given this scenario. Although in either case this violation, driving without insurance, must be taken seriously.
If you need an experienced Long Island traffic lawyer, please contact attorney Michael W. Alpert at (516) 280-7288 or malpert@alperlegal.com.