| This Article addresses the effect on your automobile | | | | accident without reporting it |
| insurance rates from being convicted of a New York | | | | - Motorist is convicted or 2 or more moving violations |
| traffic ticket including speeding. | | | | So what does this mean? |
| As a New York Traffic Lawyer, I often am asked will | | | | For a motorist with a clean record (i.e., no points, no |
| a conviction to a NY traffic ticket effect my insurance | | | | accidents), a conviction to most "small" moving |
| rates. This question is often posed because insurance | | | | violations will NOT result in your insurance rates being |
| rates are one of the primarily reasons why someone | | | | raised. Examples of such offenses are disobey a red |
| would want to fight a moving violation ticket. The short | | | | light, running a stop sign, failure to signal, speeding |
| answer is sometimes "yes" and sometimes "no". | | | | fifteen (15) miles per hour (or less) above the limit and |
| Under Insurance Law Section 2335, insurance | | | | improper turns. The second conviction, however, for a |
| companies in New York State may raise a motorist's | | | | "small" offense can be used against you to hike your |
| insurance rates for a number of reasons. The ones | | | | rates. |
| involving the issuance of a traffic ticket are set forth | | | | The next question commonly asked is how long will |
| below: | | | | such a blemish on my driver record be held against |
| - Motorist is convicted of driving sixteen (16) miles per | | | | me. The answer is 36 months from the date of |
| hour (or more) over the limit | | | | conviction. |
| - Motorist has been convicted of speeding and/or | | | | The lesson behind Section 2335 is that it does not |
| reckless driving on 3 or more occasions | | | | take much for an insurance company to have a basis |
| - Motorist has been convicted of speeding or reckless | | | | to raise your rates. One "big" ticket or two "small" |
| driving where injury or death results | | | | tickets is enough. Therefore, it is generally worthwhile |
| - Motorist is convicted of driving while intoxicated or | | | | fighting any New York moving violation ticket to try |
| impaired (alcohol or drugs) | | | | and reduce or eliminate points. |
| - Motorist is convicted of leaving the scene of an | | | | |