If you love to zip along on any of the glorious highways here in New Jersey, perhaps this can serve as a refresher course as to why you need to observe those speed limit signs that dot the landscape.

Get our free mobile app

Anyone who has been in the state for more than 12 seconds knows we're all about driving here. We drive everywhere. At all hours of the day. And there's a lot of traffic. And, let's be honest, many of us like to drive a lil' faster than the posted speed limit.

If you don't believe me, set your cruise control to 65 MPH the next time you are on the Parkway, Expressway, or Turnpike, and count how many cars blow past you at the speed of light.

Speeding sign on the Garden State Parkway - Photo: Chris Coleman
Speeding sign on the Garden State Parkway - Photo: Chris Coleman
loading...

Go speed racer, go

For whatever reason, I was recently thinking about speeding tickets in New Jersey (no, I didn't get one). I sorta-kinda knew what a ticket costs in New Jersey but I wasn't exactly sure of the ranges for fines and points. So I did some digging.

Let's assume for this exercise that you are going 95 MPH on a major highway here in New Jersey that has a posted 65 MPH speed limit and you suddenly see a state trooper in your rearview mirror.

New Jersey State Police vehicle
New Jersey State Police vehicle (Dan Alexander, Townsquare Media NJ)
loading...

Cue the dramatic music...

Fines for speeding in NJ

Fines for having a heavy foot on your gas pedal escalate pretty quickly in the Garden State. From any number of lawyer websites, here's how big of a check you'll be writing:

  • $85 for 1-9 MPH over the posted speed limit
  • $95 for 10-14 MPH over
  • $105 for 15-19 MPH over
  • $200 for 20-24 MPH over
  • $220 for 25-29 MPH over
  • $240 for 30-34 MPH over
  • $260 for 35-39 MPH over

But wait, there's more

And that's just for starters.

Keep in mind that those fines double if you are on a road with a 65 MPH speed limit, if you are on a designated safe corridor route, or in a work zone.

Fines are doubled on safe corridor routes in New Jersey - Photo: Google Maps
Fines are doubled on safe corridor routes in New Jersey - Photo: Google Maps
loading...

So, in theory, 95 in a 65 will cost you $480. And that doesn't include any court fees, assuming it gets that far (it probably will).

Points for speeding

In addition to having to hand over a large stack of cash to pay your fine, you'll have points to deal with, too.

  • Exceeding speed limit 1-14 MPH: 2 points
  • Exceeding speed limit 15-29 MPH: 4 points
  • Exceeding speed limit 30 MPH or more: 5 points

Accumulating more than 12 points will result in a suspended license in New Jersey.

Speed limit 85 sign on TX 130 outside of Seguin, Texas - Photo: Google Maps
Speed limit 85 sign on TX 130 outside of Seguin, Texas - Photo: Google Maps
loading...

If you are caught going 30 MPH or more over the speed limit

Should you be pulled over for exceeding the speed limit by 30 MPH or more, you are likely going to see the mean and nasty side of a state trooper or police officer as that's when one more ramification will come into play.

If you are pulled over for going 95 on a road with a 65 MPH speed limit, your friendly local law enforcement officer has the option of issuing you a reckless driving summons.

That ticket carries 5 points just by itself.

Oh, and maybe 60 days in jail.

Prison door at the Monmouth County Correctional Institute. (Vin Ebenau, Townsquare Media New Jersey)
Prison door at the Monmouth County Correctional Institute. (Vin Ebenau, Townsquare Media New Jersey)
loading...

That means your $480 (or more) fine could come with 10 points on your license.

And it's pretty safe to say that your car insurance company will be sending you a much larger bill in the mail in the very near future, too.

Worst things you can do while driving in New Jersey

In the event that you are caught speeding while doing other things behind the wheel, even more points could be tacked-on. These are some of the major offenses in New Jersey:

  • Personal injury - 8 points
  • Racing on highway - 5
  • Tailgating - 5
  • Failure to pass to right of vehicle proceeding in opposite direction - 5
  • Improper passing of school bus - 5
  • Improper passing - 4
  • Driving in an unsafe manner - 4

Where it's really dumb to speed -- the 25 most dangerous roads in NJ

17 Things You Likely Don't Know About the Garden State Parkway

You probably drive on the Garden State Parkway all of the time, but how much do you know about one of the busiest roads in New Jersey?

More From SoJO 104.9 FM