Like any other job, driving a commercial truck has rules and regulations that must be obeyed, so as to keep the road as safe as possible for truckers and all other drivers. However, sometimes the penalties for violations can seemingly come out of the blue. If you acquire too many points on your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL), your very livelihood can be threatened - enlisting a knowledgeable attorney to fight violations is crucial.

Less Likely to Be Reduced

Historically, many Connecticut trucking violations could be reduced to a lesser violation which did not add points to a CDL, but over time, most of the possible reductions were eliminated. The legislature intended to hold commercial truckers to a higher standard than standard automobile drivers, because they spend so much more time on the road and have the capacity to cause more injuries and fatalities. Thus, each violation has the potential to add points to a CDL, the same way they would for a standard driver’s license.

There are several different types of violations that can attach to a CDL, all of varying severity. Some examples include:

No one enjoys getting a traffic ticket. However, too many people simply neglect them when they get them, setting them aside until a moment when the consequences come back to haunt them. If you get traffic tickets in Fairfield County, you need to contact an experienced attorney as soon as possible in order to either pay them or fight them - failure to do this can actually impact your driving record in a very serious way.

Many Different Violations and Penalties

There are multiple types of traffic violations in Connecticut, though some are more common than others. Moving violations are generally considered minor, especially if no property damage, death or injury occurs during the violation. However, the consequences can add up. Some of the more common examples include speeding, reckless driving, failure to stop at a sign or traffic signal, going the wrong way on a one-way street, and following too closely. Some traffic violations carry short jail sentences - for example, reckless driving usually mandates a sentence of up to 30 days for a first offense, and up to one year for a second or beyond.

Different violations carry different penalties, in addition to points being assessed on one’s driver’s license. Reckless driving may carry a jail sentence, for example, but those caught speeding have other options - they can either pay the ticket without contesting it, they may contest it and try to have it dismissed, or they can plead nolo contendere (“no contest”) in some situations. Nolo contendere pleas are when someone does not admit to the traffic violation, but they pay the appropriate fine - and for a first offense, no points are usually issued to the driver.

There are several different reasons why a driver in Connecticut may have their driver’s license suspended, but it is never easy to get it back on your own. Most of the time, certain requirements must be met before your license can be reinstated, and it is easy to make a mistake or become confused if you try to manage the issue without experienced legal help. You need a dedicated attorney to help ensure the process goes as smoothly as possible.

Many Different Reasons for Suspension

License suspension or revocation is a consequence for conviction of several crimes in Connecticut. Most of the time, it is seen as a consequence serious enough to deter all but the most determined and criminal minds; the average person will be so inconvenienced by having no license that at least, in theory, they will think twice before offending again. Examples of violations or crimes that can result in license suspension include:

• Four or more speeding convictions within a two-year period
• Possession of alcohol in a vehicle by a minor
• Possession of a fake ID
• Failure to complete car seat classes or other retraining classes where they have been mandated
• Reckless driving
• Accumulation of points on your driver’s license
• Driving under the influence as a minor
• Vehicular homicide

The requirements to have your license reinstated will differ depending on the reason it was suspended, but it will require jumping through some hoops, so to speak, to get to that point.

Most people tend to write off traffic tickets as inconsequential mistakes that can be dealt with at some later time. However, they can add up and cause serious problems for drivers, especially if you rely on your vehicle to get you to work. Calling a Fairfield County traffic ticket attorney can help eliminate the problem smoothly and efficiently.

Do Not Automatically Plead Guilty

In Connecticut, there are moving violations, and then there are what the law calls motor vehicle crimes. The latter is going to be more serious, and these include offenses like speeding, hit-and-run, failure to obey a stop sign or traffic signal, or driving with a suspended license. It is possible for you to plead guilty to these types of offenses, or to fight them with a Stamford traffic ticket lawyer. While some may advise you to just plead guilty and get the matter over and done with, an experienced attorney will usually advise against it. A guilty plea will net you both points on your Connecticut drivers’ license, and points with your insurer, which can cause your rate to go through the proverbial roof.

DMV points in particular - the points on your driver’s license - can wind up being very expensive in the long run. Connecticut law assigns between one and five points for every infraction - for example, failing to signal properly adds one point to your license while following too closely will add three. If you have 10 total points on your license at any point, it will automatically be suspended for 30 days. If you have another situation where you have 10 total points on your license within the next five years, your license will then be suspended for up to two years.

No one sees traffic tickets as particularly significant, but moving violations can add up and cause significant time and trouble for people who get them, especially if you build up a few without paying them. Enlisting the right traffic ticket attorney can help ensure that your ticket or tickets are handled in the most efficient and just manner possible, and possibly help you avoid having to make an admission of guilt as well.

Guilty Pleas Carry Heavy Fines

Most people see moving violations as minor issues, but the fines can add up. Connecticut has been making a concerted push to seemingly hand out more tickets, both to raise state revenue and ostensibly to make streets safer, and many simply choose to pay them off instead of contesting them. However, points do accrue on your driving record if you admit guilt, even though moving violations are infractions - not crimes or civil torts. Violations like speeding, following too closely, and making an illegal turn will all add points.

If you have reached a total of six or more points on your record, the Connecticut DMV will send a warning letter to you advising you of that fact. You will also be advised that if you go on to exceed ten points, your license will be suspended for 30 days. In turn, if you then exceed ten points at any point in the next five years, the Department of Motor Vehicles then has the authority to suspend your license until your record dips below ten points. Points fall off your record within 24 months, or sometimes you are able to have them removed upon completion of a defensive driving course.