It’s easy to take the elements of daily living for granted. Take driving, for example: If you really stopped to ponder how much you drive each day, you’d quickly realize that being able to drive is one of your most valued privileges. Imagine, then, how greatly your life would be impacted were that privilege to be taken away.
Gauging the Impact of a License Suspension
Impossible, you say? Not according to state law. There are actually a number of different offenses for which the state can suspend or even revoke your driver’s license. One you’re saddled with a suspended license, you’re suddenly left scrambling over how to get through your daily routine. Getting to work? Unless the place where you’re employed is within a reasonable walking distance, you might have to try and arrange alternate transportation. Attending school? You might be left having to rely on a bus (just as you did during your primary school days).
Making temporary arrangements might not be too difficult in the short-term, yet what if you’re forced to find alternatives for an entire month? That’s often the minimum amount of time that California driving laws mandate that you be without a license once yours has been suspended. The point of highlighting the inherent challenges of being unable to drive is too demonstrate the need to try an avoid a license suspension at all costs.
No More Suspensions for Unpaid Fines
Thanks to new legislation, the state now has one less reason to take your license away from you. Legislation adopted in July of 2017 abolished the previous provision under the state law that allowed your license to be suspended for unpaid traffic fines. Under the old law, your license could be suspended for the amount of time it took for you to repay the fine. You can probably imagine (given how hefty the fines for certain traffic infractions can be) the amount of time it might have taken someone with limited means to come up with such money.
It was this very reason that Governor Jerry Brown gave for supporting this particular piece of legislation. He also cited the fact that license suspensions hadn’t shown themselves to be effective methods at accelerating the collection of unpaid fines. You might think that such news wouldn’t be welcomed by suspended license attorneys, yet we applauded it, as we’ve seen firsthand just how much a suspended license can impact one’s life.
The Lingering Effects of a License Suspension
Often, that impact doesn’t even end when you get your license back. Countless people have come to us with the question of can you get a suspended license of your record. In most cases, the answer is unfortunately no. Only if the suspension was incorrect can you typically have your record expunged. In all other scenarios, you have to wait until the time that the state sets to have an infraction drop off your record. This is just one more reason why having one less method through which you can lose your license should be celebrated.
Yet don’t go thinking that there aren’t other ways you can lose your driver’s license. The state can still take it away in any of the following scenarios:
- You being arrested and convicted of driving under the influence
- You failing to appear in court over a traffic violation
- You not carrying proof of auto insurance
- You failing to pay child support
Let Us Help You
Even though it now has become more difficult for the state to take away your driving privileges, that doesn’t mean that you cannot be penalized in other ways. Fines from traffic violations (as well as related expenses, such as increased insurance rates) can levy just as stiff a penalty. While there may be times when a penalty is warranted, there are also times when it is not. That’s where we here at The Ticket Clinic come in. Our familiarity with CA driving laws will help ensure that you’re well-represented when your case goes to traffic court. To learn more about the services that we offer, just take a moment to complete our online contact form. One of our attorneys will then get back you as soon as possible.
