For Commercial Drivers, Traffic Tickets Can Be a Job Killer

For most drivers, a traffic ticket is a costly inconvenience. For professional driver, a ticket can be much worse. It can be a job killer.

Truck drivers and other people who need to drive for their job need to be especially careful when they are on the road, whether they are driving their commercial vehicle or the family car. If you get too many points, your CDL may be suspended or revoked. Before that happens, you may lose your job because your employer’s insurance company will no longer cover you.

Here are examples of traffic violations that can be especially costly to commercial drivers:

• Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol (DUI).
• Refusing a blood alcohol test.
• Reckless driving
• Speeding
• Drag racing
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Fleeing or attempting to elude the police
• Driving an unregistered vehicle
• Truck weight violations
• Truck logbook violations
• Other CDL violations

When you pay a traffic ticket, you are pleading guilty to the violation. Therefore, before you pay, you should discuss the possible employment consequences with an experienced traffic ticket lawyer. In many cases, an attorney can resolve your case by negotiating it down to a violation that will result in fewer or no points on your driving record.