There are thousands of people driving through an E-ZPass lane without a transponder. They may think that this does not have consequences, but it does, impacting your economy heavily.
Some lanes are marked as “E-ZPass Only”, but many people take it for granted for many reasons. Some may just have overlooked it, while others wanted to take the fastest way so that they could arrive at their destiny early.
However, the PA Turnpike Commission says that an E-ZPass fine for going through a lane without a transponder costs $65.
It is not as expensive as other traffic fines, such as a speeding ticket, but still greatly impacts you in person.
What happens when you go through the E-ZPass lane without a transponder?
To put it easy, cameras in the area detect when someone doesn’t use the E-ZPass system. They take a picture of the vehicle’s plate, and the authorities allocate the driver.
A few days after the driver commits the infraction, they will receive a Toll Violation Notice in their mail.
Once you have received the said notice, you must file a claim within the first thirty days upon reception. Otherwise, more serious charges can be applied to you.
Still, if this is the first time you’ve committed this offense, likely, you won’t have to deal with such an expensive fine.
Other E-ZPass Violations you should take into consideration.
The E-ZPass system is widely used in too many states, so rules regulate it and make sure it is being used correctly.
There are multiple scenarios where violations can occur, including what we describe in this section.
Negative balance or insufficient funds
This is one of the most common E-ZPass infractions. People often are not aware their accounts do not have enough balance and still go through the toll lane.
After that, they receive a Toll Violation Notice for insufficient funds charges.
This is a problem that can be easily avoided if you pay enough attention to your account. Please review it once in a while to make sure it has enough balance.
Payment method problems
If you have a negative balance and the system fails to replenish it, there can be a problem with your debit or credit card or even your bank account. If this happens, you could also face charges.
Please, make sure your information is up to date and be aware of your credit and debit cards’ expiration dates.
If you’ve already received the violation notice, please note that just changing the information won’t change that the offense has been committed and that you have to deal with an expensive fine.
Problems related to your transponder
If your device is malfunctioning, is inactive, or not installed properly, it may not be detected when you drive through the toll lane. To avoid this, please check it periodically.
If you lost your transponder or if someone stole it, contact the authorities so that they can turn it inactive until you get a new one.