Driving With a Suspended License

If you are ever caught driving drunk or under the influence of drugs, your license may be suspended. If you are caught driving with a suspended license, the consequences can be worse. Here is an article by Joseph Devine about this issue.

Driving With a Suspended License

When you are convicted of driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated (DUI/DWI), one of the many penalties that a state may issue is a license suspension. Typically, for your first DUI conviction, you will have your license suspended for no longer than six months. For subsequent convictions, you may be stripped of your driver's license for a year or more.

Most people rely on an automobile as their primary means of transportation. A suspended license can limit a person's mobility and make it difficult to commute to work or visit family and friends. While this may seem like an unreasonable hardship, it is better to make other driving arrangements, such as taking the bus or carpooling, than to risk being pulled over without a valid license. If you are caught driving with a suspended license from a DUI/DWI, you risk being penalized even further.

Suspended License Violation Penalties

Each state has its own penalties for drivers who are caught without a valid license, but most states will extend the period of the suspension and slap the offender with a hefty fine. Under Rhode Island law, penalties for driving on a suspended license are as follows:

First offense: 3 months additional suspension + $500 fine + at least 10 days in jail
Second offense: 6 months additional suspension + $500 fine + 6 months to 1 year in jail
Third offense: Felony charge + 1 year additional suspension + $1000 fine + at least 1 year in jail

Coping with Your License Suspension

Clearly, suspended license violations are taken seriously and can add months to your original penalty, not to mention the additional hefty fines. It is best to not risk being caught without a valid license. If you have been convicted of a DUI and penalized with a license suspension, consider using one of the many other modes of transportation available to you. If you are traveling within a couple of miles, try walking or biking to your destination, or look up a convenient bus route. You may find that you are able to save hundreds and even thousands of dollars that otherwise would be spent on gas.

If you have been arrested for driving with a suspended license, you face the possibility of extended suspension, fines, and jail time. Consider consulting with a DUI defense attorney immediately to review the options that are available to you so that you can regain your license.

Learn More

For more information on license suspension penalties and restoring your driving privileges, please visit the website of experienced Rhode Island DUI defense lawyer James Powderly today.

Joseph Devine

Source: EzineArticles.com.

The conclusion is clear: drive safely and obey the law. If you do so, nothing bad will happen.

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