Important Facts: It is rarely in your best interest to plead guilty as charged or, to simply pay off the ticket. Traffic tickets can increase your insurance costs drastically. One insurance point is a 25% increase, two points a 45% increase, and three points a 65% increase. Look at the chart to see how high your insurance rate could go.
Insurance Points Will Cost You Money! Over time increased insurance costs can far exceed the cost of a fine.
Out of State Residents...
YOUR NORTH CAROLINA TICKET MAY
FOLLOW YOU HOME!
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THE NON-RESIDENT VIOLATOR COMPACT
Just because you are a resident of another state, do not make the mistake of thinking that the North Carolina ticket will not follow you when you leave. North Carolina and most other states and parts of Canada have joined together under the Non-Resident Violator Compact. A suspended license or a ticket in one state is reflected as a ticket or loss of license in every other state.
Also, if you ignore a ticket in North Carolina, you will likely later find yourself unable to obtain a license in another state, or even renew your license, until you have resolved the ticket here and had your driving privileges in North Carolina restored. Most states also exchange information under the National Driver License Compact to prevent drivers from receiving multiple tickets in different states without triggering enforcement action.
North Carolina is a member of the Nonresident Violator Compact and a license suspension or serious ticket in any member state equals a ticket or loss of license in ALL 44 member states. Nonmembers as of January 1996 are: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Michigan, Montana, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, and Wisconsin. If your license is suspended in North Carolina, you cannot obtain a license in any of the member states until your privilege to drive in North Carolina is restored.
The North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP)
The North Carolina Safe Driver Incentive Plan (SDIP) was enacted by the General Assembly to reward safe drivers with the lowest possible insurance costs. Drivers who are convicted of moving traffic violations and/or cause accidents will be charged higher premiums in accordance with their driving records.
SDIP points are charged as follows for convictions and at-fault accidents occurring during the Experience Period (The three years immediately preceding the date of application of the preparation of the renewal):
12 Points:
- Manslaughter or Negligent Homicide
- Prearranged Highway Racing or Lending a Car for Prearranged Highway Racing
- Hit-and-Run, Bodily Injury or Death
- Driving Under the Influence
- Driving with a Blood-Alcohol Level Greater than .08%
- Driving While Impaired
- Transporting Illegal Intoxicating Liquor for Sale
10 Points:
- Highway Racing or Lending a Car for Highway Racing
- Speeding to elude arrest
8 Points:
- Driving During Revocation or Suspension of License or Registration
4 Points:
- Reckless Driving
- Hit-and-Run, Property Damage Only
- Passing a Stopped School Bus
- Speeding in Excess of 75 mph or 80 mph in a 70 mph zone
- Driving after consuming alcohol, driver under 21
3 Points:
- At-Fault Accident Resulting in Bodily Injury over $500 or Death; or Property Damage of $2,500 or More*
2 Points:
- Illegal Passing
- Speeding in Excess of 55 mph But less than 76 mph
- Driving on Wrong Side of Road
- At-Fault Accident Resulting in Property Damage in Excess of $1,500, but less than $2,500*
1 Point:
- All Other Moving Violations or At-Fault Accidents Resulting in Property Damage of $1500 or less and bodily injury of $500 or less*
No SDIP points will be charged for:
- Speeding 10 mph or less over the posted speed limit provided:
The violation did not occur in a school zone.
- There is a clean driving record for the previous three years (a single Prayer for Judgment Continued (PJC) will not count as a prior conviction for the purpose of this exception.)
- One PJC for each household every three years, provided there are no other PJC's incurred during that time.
- Only the higher of the accident or violation points will be charged when a person is convicted of a violation in conjunction with an accident.
- Damage by animal or fowl contact; also flying gravel or falling objects.
Points shall be assigned for each accident that occurred during the experience period, involving the applicant or any current resident operator, while operating a private passenger auto. If an accident results both in bodily injury or death and in damage to property, points shall be assigned on the basis of the element of loss (bodily injury, death, or property damage) which generates the greatest number of points for the accident.
ACCIDENTS RESULTING IN BODILY INJURY OR DEATH
Exception: If the insured furnishes adequate proof that incurred medical costs related to the accident were soley for diagnostic purposes and that the accident did not result in any bodily injury, no SDIP points for bodily injury will be assigned, or points for bodily injury assigned as a result of the accident will be removed as of the most recent policy effective date.
ACCIDENTS RESULTING IN PROPERTY DAMAGE
(1) Three points shall be assigned for each at-fault auto accident that results in total damage to all property, including the insured's own, of $2,500 or more.
(2) Two points shall be assigned for each at-fault auto accident that results in total damage to all property, including the insured's own, in excess of $1,500 but less than $2,500.
(3) One point shall be assigned for each at-fault auto accident that results in total damage to all property, including the insured's own, of $1,500 or less.
Exception: No points are assigned for accidents occurring under the following circumstances:
(a) auto lawfully parked (if the parked vehicle rolls from the parked position then any such accident is charged to the person who parked the auto); or
(b) the applicant, owner or other resident operator reimbursed by or on behalf of, a person who is responsible for the accident or has judgment against such person; or
(c) auto is struck in the rear by another vehicle and the applicant or other resident operator has not been convicted of a moving traffic violation in connection with this accident; or
(d) operator of the other auto involved in the accident was convicted of a moving traffic violation and the applicant or resident operator was not convicted of a moving traffic violation in connection with the accident; or
(e) auto operated by the applicant or any resident operator is struck by a "hit-and-run" vehicle, if the accident is reported to the proper authority within 24 hours by the applicant or resident operator; or
(f) accidents involving damage by contact with animals or fowl; or
(g) accidents involving Physical Damage, limited to and caused by flying gravel, missiles, or falling objects
(h) Accidents occurring as a result of the operation of a firefighting, rescue squad, or law enforcement vehicle in response to an emergency if the operator of the vehicle at the time of the accident was a paid or volunteer member of any fire department, rescue squad, or any law enforcement agency. This exception does not include an accident occurring after the vehicle ceases to be used in response to the emergency and the emergency ceases to exist.
(1) One point shall be assigned for each at-fault auto accident that results in total bodily injuries to all persons of $1500 or less.
(2) Three points shall be assigned for each at-fault auto accident that results in: (i) Death, or
(ii) Total bodily injuries to all persons in excess of $1500.
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