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Traffic tickets are more than just inconvenient for truck drivers

by | May 20, 2020 | Uncategorized

No one is a perfect driver, but that does not stop the trucking industry from being heavily regulated to keep its drivers as close thereto as possible. For this reason, traffic tickets take on more significance to those with a commercial driver’s license than they may for other drivers here in Michigan and elsewhere. The first thing to know is that it does not matter whether a truck driver is in his or her personal vehicle or an 18-wheeler, because the consequences of the violation are governed by the fact the driver has a CDL.

What the ramifications are depend on several factors. The first is the severity of the traffic offense. Obviously, there is quite a difference between getting a ticket for driving a few miles over the speed limit and killing someone in a DUI-related accident. The first will not affect someone with a CDL as much as the latter.

Of course, too many speeding tickets could make a difference in what happens to a person’s CDL. Like every other state, Michigan has certain regulations regarding how many tickets an individual receives within a certain amount of time. When that limit is reached, a driver’s license may be suspended.

Either scenario would affect a truck driver’s ability to obtain gainful employment and/or insurance. A trucking company may not think twice about a driving record with only one or two traffic tickets within 10 years on it, but if a driver gets tickets more often and for more serious offenses, it may not hire that driver. Moreover, it may be challenging to obtain insurance for a commercial driver, and if he or she cannot be insured, getting a job just got even more difficult.

A CDL is a truck driver’s livelihood. Without it, he or she does not work. The above should make it clear to any truck drivers who receive traffic tickets here in Michigan that keeping them off their driving records is crucial. Working with an attorney experienced in helping truck drivers keep their licenses could prove invaluable in making that happen.