Florida’s Driver´s License Point System Explained
To obtain and keep a driver’s license, Florida requires the license holder to drive safely at all times. The state of Florida has a vested interest in ensuring that its motorists operate and safe manner at all times so that everyone using the road can travel freely and safely. Therefore, Florida’s government considers holding a driver’s license to be a privilege and not a right.
Florida enforces road safety by assessing point values against drivers’ licenses for motor vehicle infractions. Accumulating points on a driver’s license will force the state to suspend the license. The length of the driver’s license suspension will vary depending on the number of citations as well as the severity of the underlying incidents.
Florida DUI and traffic law defense attorneys who have significant experience aggressively defending the right of people charged with traffic offenses in Florida will fight for your interests in criminal court as well as in administrative hearings conducted by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FDSHMV).
Driving under the influence is probably the most egregious traffic offense. Interestingly, however, DUI charges will not put points on a driver’s license in Florida. A conviction for DUI in Florida carries with it mandatory suspension. Additionally, a person arrested for DUI will face an administrative suspension of his or her driver’s license for failing a breathalyzer test or refusing to take a breathalyzer test. The length of the driver’s license suspension after a DUI conviction Will depend on numerous factors that can be viewed objectively by the judge. However, having a lawyer with extensive skills and sterling reputation argue on your behalf could make the difference between the minimum suspension required by Florida law and the maximum suspension allowed by Florida law.
Having a driver’s license is essential in today’s fast-paced society. Jobs are more spread out, people are more spread out, and having the ability to move from one place to another freely is vital to leading an enjoyable and successful life. Therefore, you should align yourself with the Florida DUI defense in traffic defense lawyer who has the resources and knowledge to reduce your exposure to license suspension and keep you on the road.
Florida’s Driver´s License Point System
Florida’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) maintains the point system for motor vehicle infractions. The severity of the motor vehicle violation will determine the number of points the DMV will assess against your license. Fortunately, everyone starts with zero points on their license.
Few people can get through life without accruing at least one motor vehicle infraction. If you spend enough time in a car, you are bound to be stopped for speeding, running a steady red light, or not stopping at a stop sign. Those are common mistakes made by everyday individuals and are not an indication of a more serious underlying problem, which indicates a lack of empathy for other drivers on the road and a total and utter disregard for the safety of others. Florida’s DMV tries to identify unsafe drivers and remove them from the road before they harm another person.
Primarily, the DMV assigned either three or four points to a motor vehicle infraction. The DMV could impose as many as six points for infractions, such as leaving the scene of an accident. It is important to remember that the DMV’s actions and punishments occur separate and apart from any criminal proceedings that may take place involving the same criminal act.
The DMV will suspend a driver’s license for 30 days if the license holder accumulates twelve points within one calendar year. Accumulating eighteen points within a year and a half will prompt the DMV to suspend a driver’s license for an additional 90 days. Moreover, accruing 24 points over the span of three years will force the DMV to suspend a driver’s license for one year.
Florida’s DMV does not limit its assessment of points two in-state motor vehicle infractions only. Any person who is stopped and cited for a motor vehicle infraction or criminal offense involving a motor vehicle in another state is subject to Florida’s DMV assessing points based on the severity of the out-of-state infraction. Unfortunately, most people do not understand that this is a possibility and are surprised to find that their driver’s license has been suspended In Florida for traffic offenses that occurred somewhere else. Additionally, Florida’s law does not permit attendance at driving school or a safe driving program to reduce the number of points on a person’s driver’s license for infractions committed out of state.
Florida’s DMV assesses either three, four, or six points for traffic offenses. Points remain on the driving record of the offender for at least five years from the date of the conviction or disposition of the citation. Leaving the scene of a collision without providing information or leaving the scene with an unattended vehicle causing $50.00 or more in property damage is the only common traffic offense that allows the DMV to assess six points.
The DMV could assess four points for infractions such as passing on the entrance side of a bus when the bus is stopped failing to stop for a school bus, failing to stop completely at a steady red light before executing a left turn, certain speeding offenses, and failing to obey a traffic control signal.
The DMV will assess three points for common offenses such as generally speeding, driving too fast under certain conditions, failing to obey street signs, improper backing, not yielding to vehicles or pedestrians with the right of way, improper child restraint, and careless driving.
Traffic violations could be contested in court. The officer who issued the traffic summons could be placed under oath and testify in court. The accused traffic offender could cross-examine the officer and present evidence to defend the allegations. Of course, any traffic violation that is also a crime, like reckless driving, could be a contest at a trial as well.
Multiple Driving Offenses Could Ruin Your Life
Facing a lengthy and repeated driver’s license suspensions could ruin your life. Do not allow this to happen. By calling Musca Law today at 888-484-5057, you could speak with one of our dedicated and accomplished DUI and traffic defense lawyers to learn how you can keep your license and maintain your standard of living.