How Traffic Tickets Can Lead to a Driver’s License Suspension in Illinois

 Posted on March 30, 2021 in Traffic Violations

Motorists tend to associate driver’s license suspensions and revocations with drunk driving offenses, and it does seem logical that such a harsh penalty would result from a serious traffic violation. However, the Illinois Secretary of State (IL-SOS) provides for many other ways you might lose your driving privileges. Generally, when you get a traffic citation, points are added to your driving record. If you reach a certain level, IL-SOS will suspend your driver’s license for a number of months that corresponds to the total points you accumulated.

Still, this basic description overlooks some of the very important details involved when moving or non-moving violations impact your driving privileges. You can obtain these specifics by consulting with an Aurora, IL traffic tickets attorney, but it is worthwhile to be aware of how traffic tickets can lead to a driver’s license suspension.

Traffic Violations and Illinois’ Points System

To protect the public and discourage repeat traffic offenses, Illinois law provides for sanctions beyond the fine you might receive for a citation. Therefore, every time you are ticketed, a designated number of points is added to your driving record maintained by IL-SOS. The more serious the infraction, the higher the number of points. For example:

• Improper lane changes, noncompliance with traffic signals, and failure to yield to a pedestrian could lead to a 20-point accumulation.
• Illegal cell phone use is also 20 points, though another 30 could be added if you caused an accident in which someone was hurt.
• You may accumulate points ranging from 5 to 50 for speeding, depending on how much you were exceeding the posted limit. You can even receive points for driving too fast for conditions, regardless of the speed limit.
• Driving recklessly may lead to 55 points on your driving record.

Note that this scale only applies to drivers aged 21 or over. If you are under 21 years old, you could lose your driving privileges after two tickets in two years.

How Accumulating Points Can Lead to a Driver’s License Suspension

There are two factors that impact your driving privileges after multiple traffic tickets: The number of points and the time period during which you accumulated them. If you stay under 14 points in a seven-year span, there are no consequences for your driving privileges.

Beyond this threshold, your license will be suspended for two months at 15-44 points; months are added as you accumulate additional points, up to a one-year suspension of your driver’s license for points in excess of 109. When you hit 110 points, your driver’s license is revoked.

Contact a DuPage County Traffic Tickets Attorney About Your Options

While this overview may be helpful, it should also convince you how critical it is to work with experienced legal counsel if you could lose your driving privileges because of accumulating traffic tickets. To learn how our team assists with defending citations, license reinstatement, and other essential tasks, please contact the Law Office of Patricia Magana, LLC. You can call 630-448-2001 to set up a free initial consultation with a skilled Naperville traffic tickets lawyer.

Source:

https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/drivers/losepriv.html