Driving on a Suspended License
Whatever the reason for driving on a suspended license, if caught by police, the penalties include possible jail time in addition to fines. Before you decide to drive on a suspended license, you should understand the consequences, and how it may be possible to defend the charges against you.
For drivers who are arrested for a DUI, their first experience with a suspended license may come from the administrative license suspension that automatically happens after a DUI over the limit. The Department of Driver Services (DDS) will suspend your license for a year after a per se DUI. When a driver is arrested for a DUI, the police will take their license and provide a temporary permit that is only valid for 30 days. After 30 days, the driver will have to apply for a work permit which allows for limited driving, otherwise any driving is off-limits.
The only way to prevent an automatic DDS license suspension is to file a 30 day letter within ten days after a DUI arrest. This will provide for an administrative license suspension hearing. Your Atlanta DUI lawyer will be able to file the hearing request on your behalf, and represent you before the hearing so that you can keep your license.
Because the license suspension happens so quickly, many people who want to contest their DUI will have a suspended license even before they have a chance to defend themselves in court. Once their DUI court date rolls around, they may drive to the courthouse to plead their case, only to find out that the police are waiting for them to get back in their car and drive away on a suspended license.
If caught for driving while your Georgia driver's license is suspended, you may be charged for a misdemeanor, with the possibility of up to a year in jail, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 2 days behind bars. You may also lose your ability to get a limited driving permit. In addition, you may be assessed a fine of $500 to $1,000. For a second or third driving on a suspended license violation, the minimum jail time will increase to 10 days. A fourth conviction is a felony.
An even worse scenario involves drinking and driving on a suspended license. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), many drivers who already have a suspended license continue to drive. In some cases, they drive after drinking. If the police pull you over and arrest you for a DUI while on a suspended license, you may face the penalties of both charges. Before pleading guilty to multiple criminal charges, talk to an Atlanta DUI lawyer who will fight to get your charges dismissed or reduced.
Suspended License and Atlanta DUI Defense Attorney
If you got pulled over and arrested for driving on a suspended license, it is important to understand all the consequences of a conviction. If arrested for a DUI and driving on a suspended license, there will be additional penalties. With over 20 years of Georgia DUI experience, I have successfully represented thousands of people charged with drunk driving and driving on a suspended license. Call me today and we'll work to get your charges reduced or dismissed, so you can keep a clean criminal record.