The penalties for speeding vary from state to state, usually based on how fast you were going at the time you were stopped. If you are ticketed for speeding in your home state, you know what to expect.
Unfortunately, if you are from out of state, like Pennsylvania, this can cause some nasty surprises for you when you get home. This is because Pennsylvania reciprocates the penalty based on its own laws, and not those of the state in which the ticket was issued.
Speeding Ticket Penalties in New Jersey
For example, in New Jersey, the penalties are as follows:
- 1-14 mph over the limit: 2 points
- 15-29 mph over the limit: 4 points
- 30+ mph over the limit: 5 points
But What Are the Speeding Penalties in PA?
Pennsylvania gives its citizens a bit of a break, though. They do not assess points for going 5 mph or less above the limit. Then:
- 6 - 10 mph over posted limit: 2 points
- 11 - 15 mph over posted limit: 3 points (plus a 15-day suspension if in a work zone)
- 16 - 25 mph over posted limit: 4 points (plus a 15-day suspension if in a work zone)
- 26 - 30 mph over posted limit: 5 points (plus a 15-day suspension if in a work zone)
- 31+ mph over posted limit: 5 points (plus 15-day suspension if in a work zone, & possible other penalties)
As you can see, for example, a 2 point ticket in New Jersey could be a 3 pointer in PA!
Another trap for the unwary is that pleading to New Jersey’s “no point ticket,” called Unsafe Operation, is a bad idea for PA drivers because it is reciprocated with 2 points.
So What Should I Do?
If you are a PA driver that has received a ticket in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem or Cumberland County, New Jersey, please feel free to call my office at 856-432-4113 or contact me through this site for a free consultation regarding your ticket to see what strategy works best for you.
Most matters can even be resolved without you appearing, so you can save the expense of traveling to New Jersey. You owe it to yourself to look into it.
If you are looking for more information on New Jersey's traffic laws, then download my free book, A Guide to Driving Legally in NJ, and Surviving Traffic Court If You Don't.
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