sr wanted to share this from TheNewspaper.com

[Steve R]

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> http://www.theNewspaper.com
>
> Article Date: 4/28/2005
> Title: Driver Responsibility Programs Mean Steady Revenue for States
> Subtitle: Four states turn minor and major driving offenses into billions
in additional revenue.
>
> Thousands Michigan motorists are just now receiving a second bill from the
state for various major and minor driving offenses they committed two years
ago. It's part of a "Driver Responsibility Program" that went into effect in
October 2003 and is similar to programs established in Texas, New York and
New Jersey.
>
> Michigan's program forces drivers who accumulate a certain point total to
pay an extra $100-500 annual fee to maintain their license on top of any
tickets and court fees already paid. For certain offenses such as DUI, the
annual fee is $1000. In New York state, where the governor wants to
introduce speed cameras, the extra payment kicks in if you are caught twice
driving just 1 mile per hour over the speed limit.
>
> In most cases, failure to pay the yearly assessment on time results in
license suspension. Re-instating a license in Michigan, for example, will
cost another $125.
>
> Driver Responsibility programs mean big money for the states who have
tried them. By 2006, Texas expects to earn $300 million from its program.
New Jersey, which has assessed the extra fees since 1994, has generated over
$1 billion in profit. More than half of the offenses charged were paperwork
related, a third were related to driving offenses and just 12 percent were
DUI-related. Florida considered creating a driver responsibility program
after realizing that, in 2003, more than one out of every four drivers in
the state (614,879) had 6 or more points on their license. Illinois,
Pennsylvania and Rhode Island have also considered beginning their own
programs.
>
> The following is a summary of penalties imposed:
>
> Michigan:
> $100 a year for as long as the license has 7 points (plus $25 for each
point over 7)
> $1000 x 2 years for DUI
> $200 x 2 years for having expired insurance
> $150 x 2 years for having an expired license
>
> New Jersey:
> $100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $25 for each point over 6)
> $1000 x 3 for DUI
> $250 x 3 years for having expired insurance
>
> New York:
> $100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $75 for each point over 6)
> $250 x 3 tears for DUI
>
> Texas:
> $100 x 3 years for 6 points (plus $25 for each point over 6)
> $1000 x 3 years for DUI
> $2500 x 3 years for two DUIs
> $250 x 3 years for having expired insurance
> $100 x 3 years for having an expired license
>
>
> http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/03/362.asp
>
>
>
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