We’ll have to look at several “maybes.” My assumption here is that you are asking about never having gotten a drivers license. Some things will come down to pure luck (good or bad): maybe where you get the ticket, or who gave out the ticket, and who is prosecuting the tickets…these are often just the luck of the draw, and can mean you either deal with someone who wants a maximum penalty, or is more interested in working out what they think is fair, given “other” circumstances, such as your age.
 
Depending on the seriousness of the ticket (an infraction versus a felony), you should make a decision about getting more help, than the offer of a public defender. I wouldn’t be surprised if reckless driving is one offense on your ticket: the list of serious traffic violations in North Carolina is long. http://www.nccourts.org/forms/Documents/1135.pdf If you face any of these charges, try to get legal help immediately. You may be eligible for low cost legal help: contact North Carolina’s legal aid at http://www.legalaidnc.org/.
 
Most states now prohibit piling charges, which were used to try and force a guilty plea or face “having the book thrown at you.” Still, no matter whether you were charged, it is likely that you had several different charges, and any prosecution will drop more minor ones: they would keep a DUI and dismiss the speeding, or failure to yield charges.
 
But at any rate, traffic offenses are increasingly likely to have an effect on your record for years…maybe even decades, depending on what exactly you were charged with. And, worse, in North Carolina, most traffic tickets cannot be expunged from your record. http://www.ncsu.edu/stud_affairs/legal_services/legaldocs/ExpungeSheet.htm.
 
So, let’s look at those important “other” circumstances (age, offenses, and the danger you caused), and how they will hopefully give you some leeway.
 
 
Your Age…
 
Stats prove that most crimes and very specific traffic offenses are committed by the age group 16-35. The closer you get to 35, the more likely your age will not be an excuse. Yet, in North Carolina, keep in mind that depending on your offense and whether you have any serious priors, there’s a good chance you may be charged as an adult and perhaps even with a felony, depending on what the ticket says.
 
Any prior offenses…
 
Your age is used, hand in glove, with whether you have had any trouble before. Part of this analysis is going to be how likely are you to repeat the offense. For example, it is a worry that you never had a license before. Why? Be ready to explain what you are going to do to avoid this problem in the future: it may be as basic as taking a driver safety course, or (if a DUI is involved in this or past charges), going into rehabilitation. If you are clearly guilty, but also have strong community support and caused no harm…ask a lawyer about the “AR” approach. If you have never been through the Accelerated Rehabilitation/ pre-trial “diversion” program before, there’s a good chance you can benefit from this opportunity to deal with the underlying causes of your traffic offenses. http://www.pretrial.org/Docs/Documents/PromisingPracticeFinal.pdf.
 
The Danger You Presented
 
Having witnesses prepared to testify to your good character, or the pressures and circumstances you were facing, can lessen the problems here. Hopefully, no one was injured by your offense. Keep in mind, property damage, or a high speed chase, all add to the fact a judge will view the question not as the harm you committed, but the harm you were prevented from causing.