When It Comes to Driving Points, Less Is More
Typically, extra points are a good thing. Sports, video games and other competitive activities depend on lots of points to win. When it comes to driving points, however, the fewer points you have, the better.
West Virginia’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) utilizes a point system to promote safety on the road and enforce good driving habits. Rather than only penalizing drivers with fines, license suspension and revocation, and potential jail time, the DMV issues points to your driving record in response to traffic violations. Traffic violations could be anything minor like tailgating and speeding, or something more serious like DUI. Regardless, any traffic violation faces the same penalty: Added driving points.
Why Does the Point Schedule Matter?
Several consequences result from driving points since points are considered a penalty. Commercial drivers may suffer harsher penalties for traffic violations, including more driving points than a normal driver would get. Depending on the severity of your offense, you may suffer a certain number of driving points added to your record. Thus, you may lose your license for a specific period of time:
- 12 to 13 Points: 30-Day license suspension
- 14 to 15 Points: 45-Day license suspension
- 16 to 17 Points: 60-Day license suspension
- 18 to 19 Points: 90-Day license suspension
- 20+ points: License suspension until points reduce to 11 or less
Traffic violations and their resulting driving points include offenses such as:
- Tailgating: 2 points
- Improper turn: 2 points
- Failure to obey traffic signal: 3 points
- Speeding 11 to 14 mph over the limit: 3 points
- Littering: 3 points
- Speeding 15 to 19 mph over the limit: 5 points
- Hit and run: 6 points
- Reckless driving: 6 points
- Attorney Harley Wagner can fight to reduce your DUI charge to reckless driving, and thus you may get up to 6 points added to your driving record as well as a license suspension.
- Speeding in a school zone: 6 points
- Escaping law enforcement: 8 points
Restoring Driving Privileges
If your license is suspended or revoked and you want to have the freedom to drive again, you may apply for reinstatement of your driving privileges and/or participate in the approved Defensive Driving Course (DDC) to get three points removed from the overall total, no matter how many points you have on your driving record already.
Harley Wagner is West Virginia’s trusted DUI defense attorney and can fight your accusation to better prevent added points to your driving record. His mission is to get you back on your feet as efficiently as possible. Schedule your free consultation online or by calling (304) 461-6000!
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