What is Improper Equipment and How Can it Help my Speeding Ticket?
Published on 03/28/2018
Improper Equipment is a very low level traffic offense, called a "non-moving" violation, which results in no points assessed against your driver's license, and no increase to your North Carolina auto insurance premium. An "IE" reduction is widely considered to be the best possible reduction available for traffic tickets in North Carolina. There are many misconceptions around Improper Equipment and how and when it can be used in cases. Often times, it's a low level infraction that's negotiated to take place of a speeding citation, or moving violation. If granted, it's usually as part of a negotiation for lenience for a generally good driver with a clean record.
There are several factors (driving history, speed charged, other case details, etc.) a traffic lawyer can use to negotiate with the District Attorney's office in seeking to reduce your citation to this lower level offense. Ask an attorney if your ticket qualifies for an Improper Equipment before considering any other outcomes.
Based on the average NC insurance premium, this outcome could save you over $1,600 in increased insurance premiums over the next 3 years. Court costs and fines for Improper Equipment usually range between $260.00-$285.00, but can sometimes be higher, each county has their own rules on how much they will charge for this reduction. Once a case has been closed, the costs are due to the court by mail or online payment within 20 to 40 days, depending on county-specific rules. Court costs for an IE reduction are slightly higher than other possible outcomes due to additional fees/fines assessed by the NC General Assembly and/or District Attorney's office because of the very beneficial nature of this outcome.
If you would like to talk about your specific ticket to see if Improper Equipment is possible in your case, call our office for a free consultation with an experienced Legal Assistant!
