TRENTON, N.J., January 31 – The state became $16.5 million richer last year because motorists did not have their drivers license, car registration and insurance identification card with them while driving.

The dough was collected in the form of steep fines imposed by the 122,945 tickets issued because, in most cases, the motorists forgot to bring the required information along.

Those who were fined were given only 24 hours to prove the car was insured and registered and they were, in fact, licensed drivers. If they didnt meet that deadline the car could be impounded and that added the cost of retrieving the car to the already severe penalties.

Further these forgetful motorists also face the possibility of being bumped into a higher tier by their car insurance company and end up getting hit with a higher car insurance rate through eligibility points assigned by some companies for the offense.

The fines for this absent mindedness are $150 for each document not with the motorist while driving, or a whopping $450 if all three are forgotten while driving.

The steep fines went into effect two years ago in July as the former McGreevey administration scraped the barrel to raise fees and fines to close hefty budget deficits that still exist.

Motorists have argued that the fines for forgetting the documents are even more severe than careless driving convictions, and legislators were bombarded with requests to reduce the penalties.

Even the states Motor Vehicle Commission study thought the penalties were too severe and recommended that they be lowered.

Reducing Fines Proposed

Efforts to cut the fines were attempted in the previous Legislature in a last ditch effort, with the Assembly taking action and passing the measure by a vote of 78-0 on the final day of the outgoing Legislature. That attempt fell short however because the Senate failed to take action.

Now with the new Legislature in session only two weeks, the Assembly has started another attempt to cut the fines in half.

The Assembly Appropriations Committee unanimously released a bill (A-427) that would make the fines $75 for each document not with the motorist while driving.

But if the lower fines become law the state could lose about $8 or $9 million in anticipated revenue as the new Corzine administration faces a potential $5 billion budget deficit.

The sponsors of the legislation to reduce the fines are Assembly Democrats David Mayer (Camden County) and Robert Gordon (Bergen County).

The next step for the legislation is a full vote in the Assembly. That date has not been scheduled.