If you have been driving for any period of time in the Charlotte area, you likely already realize that at some point during your day you have no other choice but to make your way through a school zone. Whether it’s on your way to drop your kid off at daycare, on your way to or from work, on your lunch break, or while running errands you are going to encounter a school zone. Simply put, school zones are everywhere. And when you come across a school zone, it’s important to stay alert. Not only for the safety of all the children nearby, but also for your own personal reasons. This article will mainly look at the impact a conviction for Speeding in a School Zone in Charlotte can have on you. But first, our Penalties for Speeding in a School Zone in Charlotte
Being convicted of Speeding in a School Zone in Charlotte comes with a range of consequences. So, before you simply pay off your traffic ticket – because this does count as a conviction – be aware of the potential issues that may arise from doing so.
Driver’s License Points
Three driver’s license points will be assessed to your North Carolina driver’s license if you are convicted of Speeding in a School Zone in Charlotte. These points will remain on your driving record for a period of three years from the date of your conviction. While this may not seem like a big deal, if you accumulate 12 or more points in a three-year period your North Carolina driver’s license will be suspended.
Let’s look at an example. Assume that before being convicted of Speeding in a School Zone, your North Carolina driving record is as follows.
|
Date of Conviction |
Conviction |
Driver’s License Points |
|
August 1, 2014 |
Running a Red Light |
3 |
|
October 27, 2015 |
Speeding 70/65 |
3 |
|
June 13, 2016 |
Running a Stop Sign |
3 |
Based on the driving record above, you would have a total of nine points on your driving record. As mentioned above, it takes three years from the date of conviction for points to be removed. Next, assume sometime before August 2017 you are convicted of Speeding in a School Zone, a three-point violation. You would now have 12 point on your driving record and the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles could suspend your driver’s license for a minimum of 60 days.
Insurance Points
If you are convicted of Speeding in a School Zone in Charlotte, you will also be assessed three insurance points. Being assessed three insurance points can cause your insurance premiums to increase by as much as 60 percent for your insurance experience period; generally, this is a period of three years in North Carolina. Let’s look at an example of how this could impact you.
Assume you currently pay $500 for six months of full insurance coverage. Given this $500 figure, over the three-year insurance experience period you would pay a total of $3,000. Now, assume you are convicted of Speeding in a School Zone and your insurance premiums increase by 60 percent. As a result, you will now be paying $800 for six months of full insurance coverage and $4,800 over the three-year insurance experience period. This is a difference of $300 every six months or $1,800 every three years.
Court Costs and Fines
On top of potentially having your driver’s license suspended and seeing the costs of your insurance premiums skyrocket, you will also have to pay a total of $438 – a $250 fine and $188 in court costs – if you are convicted of Speeding in a School Zone in Charlotte.
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