Summary of NY and NJ traffic law regarding failing to show insurance proof

New Jersey Law: driver’s license, the registration certificate of a motor vehicle and an insurance identification card shall be in the possession of the driver or operator at all times when he is in charge of a motor vehicle on the highways of this State.

The driver or operator shall exhibit an insurance identification card when requested so to do by a police officer or judge. Any person violating this section shall be subject to a fine of $150. However if a person charged with a violation of this section can exhibit an insurance identification card which was valid on the day he was charged, to the judge of the municipal court before whom he is summoned to answer to the charge, such judge may dismiss the charge. However, the judge may impose court costs.

New York Law: The failure to produce an ID card at the request of a law enforcement officer is presumptive evidence of uninsured operation for which the driver may be given a ticket. An ID card must be produced upon demand by any driver of a vehicle; not just the registrant.

Driving without insurance, a valid registration or driver’s license is subject to severe sanctions under the law. A driver may be arrested and incarcerated and the vehicle impounded. Such driver is subject to fines and surcharges in a court of law. In cases of uninsured operation DMV will imposed mandatory revocation of registration and driver’s license as well as a substantial civil penalty.

For more information:

http://www.dmv.ny.gov/iies/part32.pdf – retrieved 29 July 2013

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/staten_island/you_can_win_G6Df6cK0glIDtfPXqj8YQJ – retrieved 29 July 2013

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/03/staten_island_traffic_court_ju.html – retrieved 29 July 2013