Driver responsibility assessment, the hidden fee for traffic convictions

One of the downsides to not contacting an attorney about a traffic ticket is that no one is going to warn you about the driver’s responsibility assessment. This is a fee that’s charged to you after you decide to plead guilty, and after you have paid whatever fine the judge imposed. It happens after a DWI or DWAI conviction, but also to anyone that gets six points on the license in 18 months or less. For reference, someone who is convicted of running a stop sign because they were texting and driving would have eight points right there.

This assessment can be costly. The texting driver mentioned above would have to pay $450 over three years, in addition to the fines for the ticket, and not even mentioning what it can do to an auto insurance bill. The formula explained on the DMV page shows that the fee is $300 for hitting six points, and $75 for each point beyond that. For drug-related driving convictions, the assessment amount is $750 across the board as of this writing. The amount can be paid over a period of three years, or right away, but ignoring the bill when it comes is a another way to face a suspended license.

It’s because of all these hidden consequences for being found or pleading guilty that I offer a free consultation for Hudson Valley traffic tickets. You deserve to have all the facts when you make this important decision.