How Can a Traffic Lawyer Help Me Avoid License and Insurance Points in North Carolina?

The Blue Lights in Your Mirror: Why Your Next Move is the Most Important

You see the blue lights flash in your rearview mirror on I-40, just outside Greensboro. Your heart sinks. You were in a hurry, maybe going a little faster than you should have been. The officer is polite, but he hands you the citation. Your first thought is probably, “This is a hassle. I’ll just pay the ticket online and be done with it.”

Stop right there.

That is, without a doubt, the single most expensive mistake you can make.

If you are reading this, you are in a situation that millions of North Carolinians face every year. You have a traffic ticket. It feels like a minor problem. But what most people don’t know is that “just paying the ticket” is the same as standing up in a courtroom and pleading guilty. And that guilty plea starts a chain reaction that can cost you thousands of dollars and even your driver’s license.

For decades, the team at the Huggins Law Firm has been helping people in our communities—from Winston-Salem to Burlington, Asheboro to Graham—navigate the surprisingly complex world of traffic law. We believe that everyone deserves to understand the true consequences of a ticket before they make a costly mistake. This guide is here to pull back the curtain and show you what’s really at stake.

The Hidden Costs: Why Simply “Paying Off” a Ticket is a Costly Mistake

When you pay that ticket, you are admitting guilt to the offense as charged. This triggers two separate but equally damaging point systems here in North Carolina.

1. Driver’s License Points: These are assessed by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Accumulate too many, and you can lose your license.
2. Insurance Points: These are assessed by your insurance company under a system called the Safe Driver Incentive Plan (S.D.I.P.). These are the points that make your insurance premiums skyrocket for three years.

This is the secret that gets most people. They might get a ticket that only carries two license points, but it could carry four insurance points, causing their rates to go up by 80%! Understanding the difference between these two systems is the key to making an informed decision.

A Deep Dive into North Carolina’s Two-Point Systems

Let’s break down exactly how these two systems work.

The DMV Points System (Your License)

The NCDMV assigns points for moving violations to track your driving record. You can find the full list in the North Carolina General Statutes, but here are the most common ones:

What happens when you get license points?

• If you accumulate 7 points, the DMV can require you to attend a driver improvement clinic.
• If you accumulate 12 points in a three-year period, the DMV can suspend your license.

The Insurance Points System (Your Wallet)

This is the one that really hurts. The Safe Driver Incentive Plan (S.D.I.P.) was created by the state to allow insurance companies to raise your rates based on your driving record. It is a separate system with its own points.

• A “Less Talked About” Stat: The financial hit is not a guess; it’s a fixed schedule. According to the North Carolina Rate Bureau, which helps set insurance rates, the percentage increases are mandated. This isn’t a vague “your rates may go up”; it’s a guarantee.

Here’s what those increases look like:

Let’s do some simple math. If your insurance is $1,000 per year, a single ticket for going 70 in a 55 mph zone (2 insurance points) will raise your premium by 45%, or $450. And that increase lasts for three years. That’s an extra **$1,350** out of your pocket for one ticket that you “just paid off.”

Common Traffic Offenses We Handle in the Piedmont Triad

While we handle all types of traffic matters, here are a few of the most common and serious charges we see in the courtrooms of Guilford, Alamance, and Randolph Counties.

Speeding Tickets

This is the most common ticket. But the consequences vary wildly. A ticket for 74 in a 65 is very different from 81 in a 65. The latter carries a risk of license suspension. We often can negotiate with the prosecutor to have a speeding ticket reduced to a non-moving violation like “Improper Equipment,” which carries no license or insurance points. This is the best possible outcome for a speeding ticket.

Driving While License Revoked (DWLR)

This is not a simple ticket. It is a Class 1 misdemeanor in most cases.

• What it is: Driving any vehicle at a time when your license is revoked.
• The Consequences: A conviction can mean up to 45 days in jail, fines, and an additional license revocation of one year or more. It is a very serious charge that can put you in a cycle that is hard to escape. An experienced lawyer can often negotiate to get a DWLR charge dismissed in exchange for the client getting their license back in order.

Other Serious Offenses

We also have a great deal of experience defending clients against more serious charges like Reckless Driving and Hit and Run, which can carry severe penalties, including jail time and a felony conviction in some cases.

The Out-of-State Driver’s Dilemma: “Will This Follow Me Home?”

If you are a tourist visiting the area or a commercial truck driver just passing through on I-85, you might think a North Carolina ticket won’t affect your out-of-state license. This is a dangerous mistake.

North Carolina is a member of the Driver’s License Compact. This is an agreement among most states to share driver information. This means that if you are convicted of a moving violation in North Carolina, the NCDMV will report that conviction to your home state’s DMV. Your home state will then almost always treat the ticket as if you got it right at home, assessing license and insurance points according to their own rules.

You cannot just ignore an out-of-state ticket. It will follow you. The good news is that a lawyer can almost always handle the entire case for you without you ever having to come back to North Carolina.

How an Experienced Traffic Lawyer Can Save You Money and Your License

This is where we come in. When you look at the thousands of dollars in insurance increases, the risk to your license, and the stress of it all, hiring an experienced traffic lawyer is not an expense; it’s an investment.

Our approach is strategic and focused on a cost-benefit analysis for you.

• You might pay our firm a few hundred dollars to handle your speeding ticket. But we can often save you thousands of dollars in insurance increases over the next three years.

Here’s how we do it:

• We Know the System: After decades of practicing in the local courts of Greensboro, Graham, and Winston-Salem, we know the prosecutors, the judges, and the local rules. We know what it takes to get a charge reduced.
• We Go to Court For You: For most traffic tickets, we can appear in court on your behalf. You don’t have to miss a day of work.
• We Fight for the Best Outcome: Our goal is simple: to get your charge dismissed or reduced to a non-moving violation that carries zero license or insurance points.

Our deep experience in criminal defense gives us the tools to protect your license and your wallet.

Key Takeaways for Your North Carolina Traffic Ticket

• Never “Just Pay” a Ticket: Paying a ticket is admitting guilt and will trigger license and insurance points.
• There Are Two Point Systems: The DMV assesses license points (which can lead to suspension), and your insurance company assesses S.D.I.P. points (which will raise your rates for three years).
• The Insurance Increase is Guaranteed: An insurance point increase is not a maybe; it is a fixed percentage based on the offense.
• Out-of-State Tickets Follow You: Thanks to the Driver’s License Compact, a North Carolina ticket will almost certainly affect your home state license and insurance.
• Hiring a Lawyer is an Investment: An experienced traffic lawyer can often save you thousands of dollars in the long run and prevent your license from being suspended.