When your driver’s license is suspended, it can be frustrating and confusing to know what you need to do next.
Knowing the laws in your state will help you understand just how long your suspension lasts and what steps you should take after it has been served.
You may also want to find out if there are any other penalties that come with a suspended driver’s license in order to prepare for them ahead of time.
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Avoid Driving
There are different rules and regulations which state governments put to bring sanity and control on the roads. The authorities, therefore, give a strong warning to people found to bend the road safety rules. One thing you ought to do is avoid driving while having a suspended drivers license. Sometimes it feels tempting to rush to work or visit some stores with the vehicle, especially short distances. The thing is, the police will not be ready to hear any explanation but rather see it as a second-degree misdemeanor.
Know the Penalties
Finding yourself on the wrong side should interest you to learn more about the legal requirements. This is where you try to understand the charges and the jail terms that people can face for certain offenses. It is always good to base the research on your current state since rules are generally different between different states.
In Florida, for instance, driving with a suspended license is illegal, and you are liable to pay $500 as a fine and serve six months in jail. Whenever you commit the offense for the second time, the charges and the jail term doubles; a third conviction can be more severe as it falls under the third-degree felony charge. One needs to pay a fine of $5,000 and five years imprisonment.
Acquiring a Hardship License
As you wait for the suspension period to end, another option is to help you drive around legally. This is through having a hardship license. The law makes anyone with a suspended license eligible to get the state’s hardship license. This document, however, cannot be a replica of the actual driving license.
With it, you have a limit to where you can travel to. Specifically, you can only use it when going for school or business-related activities. Before applying for the hardship license, it’s always good to see if you are eligible. One suitable way of doing it is by contacting the regional Bureau of Administrative Reviews.
Reinstatement of the Drivers License
Depending on the state, there are some statutes that give you, as a driver, your driving privileges despite the suspension.
To be precise, it is through getting your license reinstated. The good thing with this is that it brings back all the driving benefits, unlike in the case of a hardship license.
However, for the procedure to be successful, you need to follow the correct procedure. At first, you can wait out for the suspension to end. The second step is enrolling in an Advanced Driver Improvement course. You will get a verification letter from such a program that you ought to submit ahead of the license reinstatement.
Additionally, one needs to fully comply with the other set conditions, including serving the jail sentence, taking a drug and alcohol course if convicted with (DUI), and going through the probationary period. If the court-ordered for taking part in community service, you ought to comply.
Having your driving license suspended is undesirable. Unfortunately, it does happen to make your travels illegal. What is important therefore is to avoid driving in such a situation.
However, there is an option of having a hardship license that allows you to go make trips to schools or business-related activities. If you want some reinstatement of the license, there is a procedure you ought to follow.
