Can Receiving a Traffic Ticket Lead to Actions Against Your Driver’s License?

Getting ticketed for violating a traffic law in central Ohio can definitely have an impact on your driver’s license. The statutory penalties for many traffic offenses include points, and a number of laws call for suspending the licenses of people who plead guilty or get convicted.

While partnering with a dedicated Franklin County traffic violation attorney can help you avoid such consequences, you should know what you might expect so you do not treat any citation as “just a ticket.”

Points from Tickets

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles keeps records on all drivers licensed in the state. When a driver admits to or gets convicted of committing a traffic violation that carries penalty points, the BMV enters those points in the person’s record.

Accumulating 12 points with a two-year period results in a license suspension that lasts six months. During those six months, the suspended driver will not be able to operate a commercial vehicle and will most likely be restricted to using his or her own vehicle only to drive to and from work, school, court appearances, and health care appointments. Violating the terms of limited driving privileges while under suspension will result in an arrest, possible jail time, and a new suspension.

Penalty points are assessed in increments of twos. Lower-level speeding, failing to yield right of way, running a stop sign or red light, and crossing a double yellow line put two points on a driver’s BMV record.

Four-point penalties result from speeding in a commercial vehicle, speeding at more than 25 mph over the speed limit, and reckless operation, which is what Ohio laws call reckless driving. The highest number of penalty points, six, come after convictions for drunk or drugged driving, causing a hit-and-run collision, vehicular homicide, and driving with a suspended or revoked license.

Commercial drivers can also receive penalty points for operating with an oversized or overweight load, failing to keep their inspections up to date, and operating with unsafe equipment.

You can find a longer list of traffic violations and their usual penalty points here.

Suspension as a Penalty for a Traffic Violation

In addition to points, getting convicted of or pleading guilty to one the following offenses will result in a driver’s license suspension, usually for a term that starts at one year:

• Driving under the influence/Operating a vehicle while intoxicated
• Registering blood or urine concentrations of drugs or alcohol that are above the legal limits
• Reckless operation
• Operating a vehicle without the owner’s permission
• Injuring or killing someone in a hit-and-run collision

Note that these and other offenses that lead to a mandatory, sometimes automatic, driver’s license suspension are also treated like crimes. Hiring an experienced traffic violation lawyer when charged with such an offense is essential for avoiding harsh penalties.

If you need to speak to or seak representation from a traffic ticket attorney in Franklin County, call The Maher Law Firm at (614) 205-2208. You will not be charge for the call and we take many cases for a flat fee. You can also reach us online by filling out this online contact form.