NC law suspends drivers' licenses for speeding more than 15 mph
That many speeding tickets will lead to their licenses’ getting suspended comes as a shock to many North Carolina drivers.
Under state law, getting a ticket for driving more than 15 miles-per-hour over the speed limit, if you’re going above 55 miles per hour, will trigger a 30-day suspension, even if it’s your first offense.
“It really catches people off guard because they just think, ‘You know, 15 miles-an-hour over the speed limit is fast but it's not that crazy,’” said James Minick, founder the Minick Law firm in Asheville.
The mandatory license suspension law also applies to speeding violations that occur out of state.
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North Carolina is one of 46 states in the Driver License Compact in which member states exchange information regarding traffic violations. If the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles receives a report from say Colorado that a North Carolina-licensed driver was going 71 mph in a 55-mph zone outside Denver, it will mail that driver a letter explaining that their license is set to be suspended.
A driver can also have their license suspended if they are speeding by at least 10 mph in a zone that is at least 70 mph, so for example, driving 82 mph in a 70-mph zone.
Suspensions are typically a month but can be longer depending on the violations and drivers’ past history. With modern technology, Minick said states now communicate more efficiently with each other about traffic violations, leading to more suspensions.
What to do when you get a ticket
Charlotte-based defense lawyer Bill Powers recommended drivers holdoff from immediately pleading guilty to speeding tickets of more than 15 mph and paying the fines. Instead, he encouraged drivers to contest the ticket to get their violations dropped to below 15 mph.
Powers believes the law should be reformed, especially considering North Carolina now has more highways crisscrossing the state, giving drivers more opportunities to go more than 15 mph too fast.
Drivers who do plead guilty to their tickets and subsequently receive letters notifying them of an impending suspension can request a preliminary hearing with a NCDMV judge to get their suspensions lifted. The hearing request fee is $100 and must be submitted before the suspension goes into effect. A driver’s license isn’t suspended while they await a hearing.
At the hearing, lawyers recommend drivers keep it simple and show contrition.
“Walk in humble,” Minick advised. “It's more just a question of have you learned your lesson from this particular situation?”
He said drivers should be prepared to explain why they were speeding, whether they were using cruise control, and what impact losing their license for a month would have on their personal and professional lives.
Brian Gordon is a statewide reporter with the USA Today Network in North Carolina. Feel free to email him at bgordon@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @skyoutbriout
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: NC speeding tickets for 15 mph-plus lead to suspended drivers licenses
