Receiving a traffic ticket in Illinois can have a major effect on your driver’s license. Point systems adopted by traffic law make it difficult for drivers to move on from a simple mistake made while driving. The more points or tickets that you receive for traffic violations, the more likely you are to have your driving privileges revoked or suspended.

In addition to paying fines, court costs, an increased insurance rate, and potentially receiving criminal penalties, you risk license suspension or revocation. The only way to prevent the serious consequences of having too many tickets on your record is by getting legal backing from an experienced Illinois traffic lawyer.

The traffic ticket lawyers at Hirsch Law Group have been helping Illinois citizens defend against traffic tickets, violations, parking tickets, and criminal charges for over 20 years. Losing your driving privileges can upturn your life. You could be left unable to pay for insurance, without a driver’s license to carry out daily tasks, and be fired from your job.

A lawyer from our law firm can help prevent these severe consequences by putting up a fight on your behalf. This means fighting against a moving violation, getting charges reduced to prevent penalty points, getting you enrolled in traffic school for a first speeding ticket, getting a ticket dismissed, or fighting to reinstate your license. We have an in-depth understanding of local DMV and traffic laws, and we want to use our experience to help protect your future.

Call our law firm today to schedule a free consultation at 815-880-1134.

Driving Record and The Illinois Point System

The penalty points system in Illinois determines whether you will face license suspension for traffic violations and the length of the suspension period. Each moving traffic violation in Illinois has penalty points attached to it. If you receive a traffic ticket and plead guilty by paying for the ticket, you will receive penalty points on your record.

If you receive three or more violations within one year, you will face license suspension. The points you have on your record will determine how long you will face suspension. The more points that you have, the longer the suspension period will be. You could receive a suspension for 6 months or an indefinite revocation, depending on the type of violation you were accused of.

Unfortunately, the Illinois points system can be quite harsh for ordinary drivers. Because penalty points stay on your license for up to 5 years, you could pay the fine for a minor speeding violation and end up with a lengthy suspension period because of previous offenses. Because of this, it is important to always contest any traffic tickets that you receive and hire a lawyer to arrange a court date on your behalf.

Can a Speeding Ticket Affect My Driving Record?

Traffic offenses in Illinois are separated into moving violations and non-moving violations. Moving violations are traffic offenses that have a direct effect on your driving record and can lead to a suspension or revocation of your driver’s license. Moving violations, which are violations that happen when a vehicle is moving, have a higher likelihood of causing direct harm to members of the public.

Because of this, they have harsher penalties which can lead to penalty points. Speeding violations happen when an individual drives faster than the posted speed limit. Because the vehicle is in motion and there is a risk of harm to other drivers, a speeding ticket will affect your driving record. This is the same with all moving traffic violations, including running a stop sign, reckless driving, driving under the influence, and more serious infractions.

You will get penalty points added to your driving record for a speeding ticket and the speed you were driving at will affect the number of points you receive. Individuals often ask our lawyers how long a speeding ticket stays on their driving record. The answer is that it may remain for up to 5 years, which can have a long-term effect on your insurance premium. Other moving violations can have higher points that may also stay on your record for up to 5 years.

Will My Insurance Company Increase My Premium Because of Speeding Tickets?

One of the main issues that drivers in Illinois face are high rates by insurance companies. Your insurance company has a vested interest in getting as much money from you as possible. With a clean driving record, you may still face a high insurance premium for being under the age of 25 or for factors relating to your health.

However, with too many points on your driving record, you risk facing massively increased auto insurance rates that remain until your record becomes clear. Traffic tickets, including speeding tickets and tickets for moving violations, directly affect your driver’s license, which increases your insurance rates.

Most insurance companies do not care about the effect that increased car insurance rates will have on your life. You may be unable to pay for higher insurance rates, unable to continue having a vehicle, and risk losing your job. Other insurance companies can view your DMV record and are likely to impose higher rates for new clients.

As a result, your entire livelihood could be at risk because of a minor traffic ticket. By fighting against speeding tickets or moving violations in a traffic court, you may be able to prevent penalty points on your license and not risk increased insurance premiums from greedy insurance companies.

I’ve Received a Traffic Ticket, What Should I Do?

You have received a traffic ticket for speeding, reckless driving, failing to stop at a stop sign, passing a school bus, or some other moving violation. Now, you are unsure what to do to prevent license suspension or any serious penalties. First, we always recommend that you seek legal help, regardless of whether your traffic violation is allegedly minor.

Your traffic ticket should be issued by an appropriate authority with a court date on the ticket. If you are not required to make a court appearance, you still reserve the right to schedule this and contest the charges. An experienced lawyer can assess whether the ticket is valid. They will check the credentials of the officer who cited you, investigate whether you actually broke the law, and figure out if they have enough grounds to prove this in court.

If your lawyer believes your charges can be reduced or thrown out completely, they will ensure to negotiate with the court to get this done. They can help prevent you from paying the fine, getting points on your record, paying for court costs, and potentially receiving a license suspension.

Defensive Driving Course

It may be possible to avoid points on your driver’s record by attending a defensive driving course or traffic school. Defensive driving courses are usually only available to first-time offenders and for minor traffic offenses.

By paying a fine and attending a traffic school, you can avoid the violation being added to your record. A lawyer will have to petition the court on your behalf prior to you pleading guilty by paying the fine, which is why consulting a lawyer first is essential.

Contact A Traffic Ticket Lawyer at Hirsch Law Group Today!

Having multiple tickets on your driver’s record can cause serious consequences. You could face license suspensions, have to attend traffic school, pay fines, or even face license revocation. With this, you will face higher insurance rates and your job could be affected by not having a driver’s license.

If you are facing license suspension or have received a speeding ticket or another type of moving violation, it is vital that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible. The lawyers at Hirsch Law Group can help you fight against losing your driving privileges and receiving penalties by contesting a traffic ticket, getting your charges reduced, or getting the ticket dismissed. If your license has been suspended because of too many tickets, we can fight to get it reinstated.

Hirsch Law Group understands the challenges faced by drivers in Illinois and we know how important it is to have a clean record. Having worked as former prosecutors, we have a unique set of skills that we will use to benefit your case. We are determined to protect your future and fight to get a positive outcome for your case. Our law firm has won multiple awards for its dedication to clients’ cases and we always guarantee the highest standard of legal care.

Call our law firm today to schedule a free consultation at 815-880-1134.