The First Day Of The 2019/2020 School Year In Charlotte Is Tomorrow.
Drive Safely.
Big Insurance Penalties For Ignoring School Zone Traffic Laws.
Schools in the Charlotte metro area are back in session tomorrow. That alone is a good reason to drive safely and responsibly. But did you know how high the Charlotte and North Carolina penalties are if you don't obey traffic laws in schools zones, such as driving over the speed limit or passing a stopped school bus?
Speeding in a school zone is punished more harshly than speeding in other areas in town. North Carolina law gives municipalities the right to set school zone speed limits, however they can't be set below 20 miles per hour. In Charlotte, school speed limit zones are set at 25 miles per hour. The speed limit zones go in effect 45 minutes before school begins and 15 minutes after school begins. It then starts again 15 minutes before school lets out until 30 minutes after the school day ends.
Clearly, these traffic laws are in place to protect our school children. But what you may not know is that North Carolina insurance companies will not waive points associated with speeding in school zones. In North Carolina, we are not talking just points on your driving license or about a one-time fine for an offense. What we are talking about are penalties that really hit your wallet HARD for a long time:
A minimum 30% increase in your auto insurance premiums for five years for a conviction for speeding in a school zone at any speed above the posted limit. Speeding through a school zone adds 3 points to your license. One point can increase your rate by up to 30%, while 3 points can increase your rate by as much as 60%.- An 80% increase in your auto insurance premiums for five years for a conviction for passing a stopped school bus.
- The N.C. General Assembly increased the speeding penalty in school zones and on schoolproperty from $25 to $250. And did you know that if you drive more than 15 milers per hour over the limit in a school zone (or any where for that matter), you will be charged with a class 3 misdemeanor, which can carry an additional sentence of 1 to 20 days in jail.
- Besides potentially having your driver’s license suspended and seeing the costs of your insurance premiums skyrocket, if you are convicted of speeding in a school zone in Charlotte, you'll have additional court costs of $188 (that's on top of the $250 fine).
For more informatiou about the North Carolina School Zone Laws, click here.
So make sure you follow the driving/speed laws in school zones... you'll help keep Charlotte kids safe and you'll keep your insurance premiums down.
This information about the high cost of insurance premium hikes for violating driving laws in Charlotte's school zones is provided by Nina Hollander/Carolinas Realty Partners with Coldwell Banker, your Charlotte metro area residential real estate experts.
If you're considering purchasing or selling a home anywhere in the Charlotte metro area, I'd love an opportunity to earn your business, exceed your expectations, and to show you how...
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