Out-of-State Violations: Do The Laws Protect Or Impede Motorist?

Most Americans depend heavily on their license to drive – for their jobs, their family obligations and their recreational travel.

Naturally, some of our driving needs take us out of state. And as is well-known, traffic enforcement tends to focus on out-of-state drivers – maybe because it is that much harder for drivers to successfully contest out-of-state tickets…?

Compounding this problem is the fact that out-of-state violations almost inevitably impact the home-state driver’s license, sometimes even resulting in suspensions. And if out-of-state tickets are hard to contest, then clearing up interstate licensing actions can be nearly impossible.

In the nanny state’s never-ending battle to completely eliminate all driving risk, and its corresponding effort to make sure that every bit of your traffic record is available to every enforcement agency in the land, several compacts have been set up between the states for the sharing of motorists’ driving offense information.

This might be a good thing, if all transportation departments had fair, clear, and consistent rules and procedures for how out-of-state violations should impact home-state license privileges – and those agencies took responsibility for treating motorists fairly when problems arise.

The reality, though, is that such situations lead to vicious circles where neither the bureaucracy of the ticketing state nor the home state is willing to step up and unilaterally correct problems.

There are many such cases. Here is an article on Jeremy Murray’s struggle to clear up an Indiana suspension based on a New Mexico ticket that he had actually already paid.

These cases are even more unfair and difficult to resolve when they are based on age-old tickets that cash-strapped jurisdictions now suddenly decide should be pursued.

One NMA member reports being denied a license renewal based on a 17-year-old ticket, which, like Murray’s, had already been paid. Can you imagine being required to provide proof of payment for a ticket from 17 years ago…?

Resurrection of ancient ticket prosecutions is a country-wide phenomenon; Pennsylvanian Matthew Petika, for example, is facing jail based on a 19-year-old speeding ticket.

John Jeffords of South Carolina was hounded over a 26-year-old ticket, which also had been paid. Unpaid tickets are also being referred to collection agencies, and threats of jail are being issued as well.

The nearly universal sharing of traffic violation information among the states, in combination with absurdly retroactive enforcement efforts and arbitrary, rigid schemes for license points and suspensions, overseen by pass-the-buck bureaucracies, has created nightmares for many interstate motorists.

The government’s mindset seems to be that there should be more and more resources poured into new laws, punishment schemes and enforcement techniques, but no corresponding efforts to insure accountability when ticket issues get out of control.

[Courtesy: The National Motorists Association]

National Motorists Association
National Motorists Association

More by National Motorists Association

Comments
Join the conversation
2 of 16 comments
  • GS650G GS650G on May 17, 2011

    They really don't care, they just want the revenue missing from sales and income tax receipts (that's how they refer to the theft of your economic output) and besides they know it's easier for you to pay a few hundred bucks than spend time and lawyers fees fighting it, only to lose and pay anyway. Consider any ticket to be a boomerang and prepare to pay it twice. Keep all paperwork from the ticket until your death and make sure your family has the forms. I would not be at all surprised if they start coming after estates next.

  • DearS DearS on May 17, 2011

    A few good men and women are needed again, still.

  • Kwik_Shift Brands that were considered from China include BYD, Dayun, Great Wall Motors, Maxus, Nio, Omoda/Chery, Seres, XPeng, and Zeekr. KG Mobility from South Korea also made the list of candidates.That's a lot of car companies from there ready to head here.
  • Analoggrotto Clean sweep and unanimous victory for the world affluence engine of 22nd century : Hyundai/Kia/Genesis. Toyota and Lexus, for 120 years of history have not been able to capture the zenith superlative status of Hyundai Motor Corporation the most awarded, decorated and revered automotive corporation in the history of historical. Featuring best ever, first ever and greatest ever e-ATPs the Hyundai Genesis Kia lineup is posed to become the envy of every country club, ivy league college and fortune 500 corporation in the world. I've been taking a roadtrip in my loaner Elantra N, visiting colleges from east to west, elite universities of higher learning to inspect their parking lots. WHat did I find? Leagues of Genesis models, outnumbering Lexus 3 to 1. When I interviewed faculty and staff at these places of greater learning, their response was unanimous : they chose HMC for the ATPs.
  • Mikey 2019 Chevy Impala Premier FWD with 20 inch factory Bridgestones. I'm looking at replacing tires at the 65,000 KLM's (40,000 miles ) mark ....It doesn't thrill me .. I'm pricing Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires ouch !! ..Up here in Canuckastan ....Big $$$$$
  • ToolGuy Honda was robbed.
  • ToolGuy "Honey, someone is trying to cross the moat again"
Next