CDL Drivers and Traffic Tickets in Florida
CDL Driver’s Responsibility
Once a person receives a standard driver’s license they are agreeing to abide by the laws of the road when operating a motor vehicle and when they break the laws of the road they typically receive tickets and fines as punishment.
Some people obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL) which basically means they can operate more complex and bigger vehicles, such as semi-trucks, and they are held accountable for following more laws and regulations. When a CDL driver breaks any traffic laws their penalties are higher and they can lose their driving privileges all together.
CDL holders typically operate larger vehicles which can cause larger amounts of damage than average vehicles if the driver decides to drive carelessly. This is why when a CDL driver is pulled over for a ticket they will face higher penalties than a person with a standard driver’s license.
Penalties for CDL Owners
A CDL driver should always operate a vehicle safely and be cautious of their surroundings. Along with the normal penalties that come along with criminal traffic violations a CDL driver should expect their CDL to be revoked permanently if they commit any of the following criminal driving offenses, even if the crime is committed in their own personal vehicle:
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI)
- Refusing a breathalyzer test
- Causing a fatality or bodily injury due to reckless driving
- Leaving the scene of an accident
- Distributing or dispensing controlled substances in the vehicle
All of these offenses are considered criminal offenses and will be penalized with heavy fines and possible jail time.
Other minor violations such as, improper passing or lane change, tailgating another vehicle, speeding 15 mph or more above the speed limit, driving a commercial vehicle without the CDL in the driver’s possession, driving a rig without the appropriate endorsement, violation of traffic signs and signals (such as running a red light or stop sign) could result in the loss of a person’s CDL.
Furthermore, all of these traffic violations will result in higher fines than normal.
Other penalties that will ensue include the loss of a job, higher insurance rates, and a hard time finding a job, as well as never being able to hold a driving position again. Unfortunately a CDL owner can lose their job over a simple traffic violation if they are not careful.
Defenses
There are a large amount of defenses that apply to traffic violations and a large portion of traffic violations fought in court end in the defendants favor. If a person has a CDL and is charged with a criminal or noncriminal traffic violation they should make sure to contact a lawyer immediately because there are so many circumstances in which a good lawyer can get the charges dropped.
Many traffic violations are based on the opinion of the accusing officer and that is not enough proof to convict a person of a crime. Several defenses for different traffic violations include, drivers being charged with reckless diving when they should be charged with careless driving, a driver speeding to avoid a harmful situation, signs being unreadable, limit lines being hard to see, other vehicles driving recklessly causing the other driver to react quickly, and a person not realizing they damaged property or caused a minor accident and they leave the scene.
A hidden fact is that a very large portion of traffic violations fought in court actually win. If a person’s CDL is on the line they should hire an attorney and fight their charge.
Call Us Today!
Do not put your job on the line or settle for losing your CDL, call our firm today and let us hear all about the details of your case. Set up a free consolation anytime and allow our experienced and aggressive attorneys assist you with your moving violation or criminal traffic citation. We have ten years of experience representing motorists and we would like to attempt to get your charges reduced or eliminated. Call us today at 1-800-FIGHT-IT (1-800-344-4848).
