For many years, there was very little that the DMV could do in order to keep records of the millions of licensed drivers throughout the United States. Even though a ticket or an arrest would be registered with a local DMV, there were not many options available to track the safety and eligibility of the drivers themselves. This is why the DMV created an unique point system that is utilized by the courts, the DMV itself, and insurance providers, and it affects every driver whether they know it or not.
All traffic violations are broken down into three major categories. The smallest of the violations is the infraction. These are handed out for offenses that would usually not result in damage to property or injuries. Some of the most typical infractions include issues with one's registration, improperly tinted windows, and some parking violations. Felonies are on the opposite end of the spectrum, and these blur the lines of traffic violations and full criminal offenses, usually requiring a full trial.
In between these two types of charges is the most common violation, the misdemeanor. Misdemeanors are moving violations that could probably lead to an accident. Nearly every driver will be issued a misdemeanor at some point in their life for improperly stopping at a red light, speeding, illegal lane changes, or any of the other countless moving violations. Along with the other penalties with each of these tickets will come either one or two points that will be placed on the driver's record.
These points are used by the DMV to track the safety of the drive at all times, and most of the basic violations will place a single point on the license, putting the driver closer to having their driver's license suspended. If four points are acquired in 12 months, six points in 24 points, or eight points in 36 months, the DMV will automatically suspend the driver's license. The amount of time in which the points stay on the license will be determined by the severity of the charge, but they can remain active for as long as 10 years.
Along with the DMV tracking the driver, points are also used by insurance companies in order to adjust the driver's premiums. All car insurance companies are given full access to their customer's driving record. For every point that is received, they will raise the premiums accordingly. This means that even a single violation may cost a driver thousands of dollars over the course of multiple years.
No driver should ever accept any of these charges without a fight. In addition to immediately being threatened with a license suspension, the final costs could become very prohibitive. An experienced traffic attorney remains the number one choice for all those that would like to protect their finances and their ability to drive.
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