Sep 1, 2008 7:47 pm US/Eastern
N.H. E-ZPass Violators Get A Pass
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) ―
New Hampshire officials are giving most E-ZPass violators facing license suspensions a pass -- at least until a new law takes effect in January.
Officials estimate 1,700 drivers have gotten a break from the state's decision to hold off on the punitive action. The 1,700 violators were between May 22 and July 10, when the most recent information was available.
"We're just not putting them through" the system, said Kathleen Mulcahey-Hampson, the Department of Transportation's senior hearing examiner. "They're not going through suspension mode."
The new law targets vehicle registrations instead of driving privileges for drivers who fail to take care of violations. Under current law, violators could have their driver's license and vehicle registration suspended. The new law will block driver's from renewing registrations if they have outstanding
E-ZPass violations.
The state made the change after drivers were arrested due to errors in the E-ZPass system.
"We didn't want people to end up facing possible arrest or impoundment of their vehicle for a toll violation. We don't know if it's intentional or unintentional," said Mulcahey-Hampson.
Drivers operating a vehicle with a suspended license are subject to arrest, and if they're caught operating an unregistered vehicle their vehicle could be impounded, she said.
In one case, a Wolfeboro teacher paid the toll, but it wasn't processed. His license was suspended and he was arrested. In another, a Bedford real estate agent with a spotless driving record was arrested for the same reason after police discovered an unpaid E-ZPass toll.
Mulcahey-Hampson said she's aware of at least eight cases where drivers were arrested in error.
The department now reviews each request from E-ZPass vendor and administrator, N.J.-based Affiliated Computer Services, for driving privileges to be suspended.
The Division of Motor Vehicles also inform ACS when the state agency receives confirmation that drivers have cleared up billing issues.
ACS also sends fewer requests at the same time to keep the workload manageable, Mulcahey-Hampson said.
Despite these new safeguards, some drivers -- perhaps 10 percent to 15 percent -- still will end up at least temporarily losing their driving privileges for failing to address violations.
"If they're true violators, it will catch up to them," Mulcahey-Hampson said.
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