Over the last few months, several North American states have implemented changes to their traffic laws. With new procedures for obtaining a driver’s license, as well as changes to speed limits and fees, citizens must pay attention to new bills and the dates when they will take effect. This US state decided to implement another bill, and this time, the motorists who continually fail to pay their parking tickets are on the line.
If approved, this bill could make you lose your vehicle registration for one specific reason
According to some sources, a new bill is about to be voted on by the representatives of one US state that plans to apply new sanctions for unpaid tickets. If approved, this bill determines that drivers with unpaid tickets must have their vehicle registration suspended.
The original text allows parking authorities to immediately suspend vehicle registration for drivers with six or more unpaid parking tickets or a total of at least $500 in unpaid parking tickets.
After research shows that Pennsylvania has more than $28 million in unpaid tickets, the state Representative Manuel Guzman presented the bill with strict regulations for unpaid tickets. According to the representative, having additional enforcement helps to open space to people who need it most. The model, proposed by Mr Guzman, is based on the determinations used by the Philadelphia Parking Authority, and the complete text can be seen at the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s official website.
This is only the first of several changes to driving laws in the state
As said by some sources, the changes regarding the unpaid parking tickets are only the first of several new features that will be implemented. Following other North American states that promoted changes to their driving laws, Pennsylvania also intends to apply other fines.
According to the frameworks of the law, drivers who use their phones behind the wheel could be hit with a $100 fine if it were the first offense. The amount increases if more than one offense was registered in three years, reaching up to $200. The fine will be applied even if the driver was caught reading a message or watching a video.
A model based on the Turnpike Commission
As declared by Mr Guzman, the representative responsible for the new law, it is based on those used by the Philadelphia Parking Authority and the Turnpike Comission. According to the commission, if a driver has incurred four or more unpaid toll invoices, or has $250 or more in unpaid invoices and fees, or defaulted in a payment plan for tolls and fees from the PA Turnpike Commission, the vehicle registration may be suspended. The driver will have 30 days to respond to the commission, or it will be suspended.
The only way to recover the registration is by paying all debts and having the payment confirmed by the authorities. If the driver fails to pay the tolls and fees by the effective suspension date, an indefinite suspension will go into effect. In addition, an administrative hold will be placed on the vehicle and a restoration fee will be needed.
Driving laws are changing all across the United States.
If the bill with those changes receives the support of the majority during the vote session, Pennsylvania will join other North American states that are promoting a series of changes to their driving laws. According to some sources, this movement is a result of the necessity to reassess the need and applicability of the driver’s law according to each state’s particularities. After a of this evaluation, this state will promote some changes to its speed limits, and they will take effect on August 1.