My Driver’s License Was Suspended

 Posted on June 25, 2020 in Traffic Violations

There are several different reasons that your Connecticut driver’s license might be suspended, from accumulating too many points on your record to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Depending on the underlying reasons for the suspension, getting your license back can be a time-consuming endeavor, even though you may need your car to get to school or work. If you have an experienced attorney to help you negotiate the process, it can mean that you get your license back sooner.

Why Suspension?

Between adult and teen drivers, there are countless reasons that a court may either suspend your license or in the case of teen drivers, refuse to grant your application for a license. In addition to point accumulation or DUI, adults can lose their license for failing to answer a summons or pass a remedial drivers’ education course, for committing crimes like vehicular homicide, and for having too many accumulated traffic violations. Teens can have their license suspended for reckless driving or any kind of offense that implies recklessness; these offenses are violations of Connecticut’s teen driving statutes.

Regardless of the reason, you are not permitted to drive any kind of motor vehicle under any circumstances (with very rare exceptions) until your driving privileges have been restored and you have a valid license or learners’ permit in your possession. If you are caught driving on a suspended license, you can be charged with criminal penalties, facing up to 90 days in jail and fines of a minimum $150 for a first offense. If you are caught driving on a suspended license a second or third time, both the jail time and the fines will rise exponentially.

Two Ways to Lose Your License

When your license has been suspended, you should receive a notice in the mail that will give you the reason, the length of suspension, and the requirements you have to fulfill in order to get your license reinstated. You can contest the suspension, as long as you file a request for a hearing within seven days of your receiving the notice, but if you do not, the suspension will simply begin on the date specified. An attorney can help you negotiate a possible alternative to suspension in some cases, but if yours was due to driving under the influence, a prosecutor will likely insist that the suspension happen, as DUI is a criminal charge and license suspension is part of the consequences.

If you are arrested for DUI, you can have your license suspended for either of two reasons. The first is what Connecticut law calls implied consent - if you drive on Connecticut roads, you have implicitly consented to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) test. If you refuse the test, your license will be suspended “administrative[ly] per se,” meaning that you do not have to go to court for that to happen. The second way you can lose your license after a DUI arrest is as a result of being convicted - Connecticut law mandates a license suspension if you are found guilty of DUI, though the length may vary. Either one can be appealed, but winning is not easy, especially if you try to file on your own.

Can a Fairfield County Drivers’ License Attorney Help You?

A driver’s license is a crucial piece of hardware for a majority of U.S. adults, and if you have temporarily lost yours, contacting a skilled Fairfield County driver’s license lawyer to help get it back sooner is generally a good idea. Attorney Weiner has years of experience in these cases and will work hard on yours. Contact the Law Offices of Daniel P. Weiner at 203-348-5846 for a free consultation.

Source:

https://portal.ct.gov/DMV/Suspension/Suspension/Resolving-a-Suspension