Whether you use your vehicle to commute daily or rarely drive, a driver’s license suspension isn’t what you want. Having your license suspended means temporarily losing your driving privileges, usually for a specified period. You may also be required to go through multiple legal obligations and may have to hire an ALR/license suspension attorney to have your license reinstated.
Here are a few reasons for a driver’s license suspension.
Driving Without Insurance
Almost every US state has a minimum auto insurance requirement to provide financial protection and cover liabilities. According to Texas law, drivers need at least $30,000 worth of coverage per injury, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 per each instance of property damage. This is known as a 30/60/25 coverage and is the minimum liability insurance drivers are required to have to drive legally.
If you fail to meet the minimum insurance requirement, you’re likely to get fined by law enforcement authorities at some point. When this happens, you may end up getting your license suspended.
Driving Recklessly
You must have seen those “Speed Thrills But Also Kills” signs. While reckless driving can lead to fatal accidents, you can lose your driving privileges for speeding or driving carelessly, even if you aren’t involved in a traffic accident.
Reckless driving refers to driving in a way that jeopardizes your or other people’s lives and puts them at risk of injury or death. Making dangerous turns while driving? Reckless. Speeding on a highway because you don’t see any cars around? Still reckless. If you’re caught driving in a manner that isn’t approved and violates traffic laws, you’ll probably lose your license. The graver the situation, the greater the chances of a license suspension.
Not Appearing in Court
Many people think that court summons isn’t that big a deal and fail to appear in court. The truth is, a court appointment is serious business. Even if you haven’t been involved in a traffic violation and are unsure why you’re being called, the last thing you want to do is ignore court summons.
If you do this, your license will be suspended. Moreover, you may not even realize a suspension has been carried out until a law enforcement officer stops you for some reason and they confiscate your license.
Keep track of any court summons or driving-related documents you receive in the mail. Sometimes, licenses get suspended because people haven’t paid their outstanding tickets or missed the letter specifying the time and date of their court appointment.
Acquiring Too Many Driving Points
This is one of those few instances where having too many points is not a good thing. Driver license points (aka driving points and demerit points) are bad news. They’re issued each time you’re involved in a driving violation, accumulating over time and remaining on your record for up to three years. The number of points given depends on the nature of the violation. For instance, a Texas moving violation entails 2 points, and a moving violation that results in a traffic accident entails 3 points.
You can get points even when you’re driving out of state. In short, it doesn’t matter where the violation occurs. If you don’t adhere to traffic rules, you’ll be given points you really don’t want on your record. So, for instance, you can get demerit points if you’re caught speeding, making illegal U-turns, running a stop sign, or driving without valid insurance.
The more points you get, the more likely you are to lose your driving privileges. A judge will likely suspend your license if your record shows too many driving violations over the past few months and you’ve accumulated too many points. This is less likely to happen to experienced drivers as they’re usually well-versed with the driving system and traffic rules, but hey, you don’t want to risk it! Nobody’s exempted from the driving point system.
Fleeing an Accident Site
Being involved in a traffic accident is scary. Many drivers responsible for a motor accident panic and flee the scene (aka hit and run) without offering aid or identifying themselves. Not only is this highly unethical, but the Texas law can also have you held liable if you’re caught.
Hit-and-run penalties vary depending on the extent of damage caused and the nature of the incident. However, you’re most likely to have your license suspended. Word of advice: don’t drive away if you’ve caused an accident. It’ll only make things worse.
Using Fictitious License Plates
It goes without saying, but using altered license plates is a huge no-no. If you knowingly modify your vehicle’s license plate, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll have your driver’s license suspended.
We’re not talking about legally customized driving plates. This refers to using altered license plates that are false or unlisted. For instance, altering a parking decal or disability license plate is considered an offence and can cost you your driving privileges.
Missed Child Support Payments
Frequently skipping and/or not paying child support has greater consequences than you’d imagine. Many drivers don’t realize this, but child support payments also play a role in a driver’s license suspension case.
If you haven’t been making child support payments, you can lose your driving privileges. The Texas court or the Attorney General of Texas (OAG) may suspend your license without warning.
Getting a DWI/DUI Conviction
Finally, another major reason for getting a driver’s license suspension is a DWI arrest or conviction. Driving while impaired or under the influence has a series of negative consequences, one of which is license suspension. You could lose your driving privileges for several months or even years if the incident was severe.
Avoiding a DWI case is always better than getting arrested/convicted, losing your license, and having to go through a trial. However, if you do find yourself in this unfortunate situation, make sure you hire a seasoned DWI attorney to help fight the case and reduce your penalty. They can also help you acquire your license at the earliest.
We can help. The Law Offices of George A. Scharmen provides DWI defense services to San Antonio drivers, helping them with their ALR/license suspension and pre-trial needs. Contact our team today to hire a DWI lawyer.