Reckless driving. Driving without a license. Underage drinking and driving. These are highly common traffic offenses committed by juvenile drivers today. Did you and your child know that if he or she is convicted of one or more of these offenses, their license, if they have one, can be suspended or taken away? Did you know that if he or she does not yet have a license, a delay for issuing it can be imposed? Also, are you aware that as the parent or guardian of the minor who commits a driving offense, you are responsible for the fines incurred as a result? Finally, and most importantly, there is a chance, depending on the severity of the charge, that the juvenile could face time in a youth detention center.
Teenagers sometimes take their driving records very lightly and are not overly concerned with speeding tickets, parking tickets, or things of that nature. Their lax attitude in regards to these offenses can at times lead to reckless driving offenses or taking a risk of drinking and then driving. Serving the Ocean and Monmouth County regions, the law offices of Villani & DeLuca are available to help you and your minor child deal with traffic violations.
New Jersey statute N.J.S.A. 39:3-40 is the law which addresses driving without a license or driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license. For minors, the punishment is based on the number of times this particular offense is committed. The first time the teen is caught driving without a license, they are fined $500. If they do it a second time, they may face jail time and will be fined $750. If for some reason, the child is foolish enough to do it for a third time, the fine is $1,000 and jail time. The penalties can be increased if the individual is driving when his or her license was suspended as a result of a DWI under N.J.S.A. 39:4-50.
These are just the primary penalties for this offense. The minor may also have his driving rights taken away for up to six months. If the offense occurs within one thousand feet of school property or a school crossing, the minor’s license can be suspended for a longer period of time.
As with any offense, the charges become even more severe if the juvenile is driving with no license or with an invalid license and he or she is under the influence of alcohol. Additionally, if someone is harmed or killed as a result of this underage drinking and driving, the charge is elevated from a traffic offense to a much more serious charge.
Reckless driving, as defined by NJ law N.J.S.A. 39:4-96, is driving with serious disregard for other’s safety and/or property. It is a very serious traffic offense for both adults and minors. If a minor is found guilty of a reckless driving offense and it is his or her first offense, he or she is fined anywhere from $50 to $200. If it is a second offense, the fine increases to $500. If found guilty of reckless driving in New Jersey, a minor can face jail time in addition to the fines imposed.
If your juvenile son or daughter has been charged with reckless driving, driving without a license, driving while under the influence of alcohol, or another traffic related offense, he or she needs help to navigate the NJ juvenile court system. You need a lawyer you can rely on, a lawyer who has the experience necessary to meet your child’s needs and obtain the best possible outcome. Contact Villani & DeLuca today to speak with an attorney who can readily assist you with this process. We are here to help!
