Full Answer
Commercial Drivers License (CDL) holders must notify their employers within 30 days of a violation. Some violations carry federally mandated penalties serious enough to impact a driver’s income and even career. For more details on offenses and penalties, please see our Texas CDL Suspension/Revocation page for more information.
We will fight your ticket to ensure your CDL is protected, as well as your livelihood. Our attorneys have successfully defended thousands of tickets, and protected just as many jobs and careers. We advise that you do not pay or enter a plea of guilty on your ticket until you speak to us first.
Texas routinely provides information concerning traffic ticket convictions to other states. The Texas Department of Transportation follows a point system to track violations and their corresponding penalties. Points are added to your driving record, which could result in your license being suspended.
Certain traffic offenses, including speeding and other moving violations, are automatically reported to the Texas Driver Services Division. Texas routinely provides information concerning traffic ticket convictions to other states.
Anyone with a CDL cannot have the ticket dismissed, even if they were driving a personal vehicle when cited. Even people without a CDL are not always granted ticket dismissal eligibility. In some cases, a defensive driving course does not automatically dismiss a ticket.
Our CDL Defense Lawyers Can Help Fight Your Traffic Ticket. Our Texas Traffic Ticket CDL Defense Attorneys will explore all the options available in your case. Grounds for dismissal. Our goal is to obtain a dismissal of your traffic ticket.
Traffic ticket convictions must be reported to both your employer and Texas DPS within seven days of conviction. CDL holders are NOT eligible to take the driver safety course or defensive driving for dismissal of a ticket. That's why it's important to hire a CDL ticket lawyer that will help protect your livelihood.
3 yearsHow long does a speeding ticket stay on your record?StateHow long a speeding ticket stays on your recordTexas3 yearsUtah3 yearsVermont2 yearsVirginia5 years46 more rows•Jul 27, 2021
Here are five steps to dismissing your Texas traffic ticket:You must have a non-commercial driver's license.You must admit guilt or plead no contest (nolo contendere)The citation must be for driving within 25 miles per hour of the posted limit.Your citation does not involve an infraction in a construction zone.More items...•
The Commercial Driver's License Act, Texas Transportation Code, Chapter 522, defines certain motor vehicle offenses as "serious traffic violations" for the purpose of administering the Act. An improper or erratic traffic lane change is one of the definitions of a "serious traffic violation" as set out in the Act.
StatuteTicketCourt Cost302.720No valid CDL license$83.50302.725No valid CDL license304.017Following too close$60.50304.170In excess of width/height/length$60.5024 more rows
Points are assessed for Texas or out-of-state moving violation convictions: two (2) points for a conviction, and three (3) points for a conviction that resulted in a crash. Individuals are assessed a point surcharge annually if they have six (6) or more points on their driver record.
If you were solely downgraded due to an expired medical certificate, your license has not expired, and you have not completed a license transaction since the downgrade, then you do not need to retest. If your license was voluntarily surrendered or downgraded, you will be required to retest.
The most important time to use a no contest plea is when there is some damage associated with the charge, like an accident. If you ran a red light and hit someone and are charged with failure to obey a traffic control devise, a guilty plea and admission can be used in civil court to show fault for the accident.
Drivers who wish to clear their driver's record in Texas may enroll in traffic school and complete a defensive driving course. This may not only help them remove points but may also result in the dismissal of their traffic ticket.
DallasVIOLATIONBASE FINETOTALSPEEDING (1 ‐ 10 miles over the limit)$97$201.10SPEEDING (11 - 15 miles over the limit)$122$226.10SPEEDING (16 - 20 miles over the limit)$147$251.10SPEEDING (over 20 mph)$200$304.104 more rows
If you have a CDL and have received a traffic ticket in Texas or almost anywhere in Texas, you know that you only have a few days to either pay the ticket or request a court setting before that traffic violation becomes a warrant for your arrest. Paying the ticket is not an option. It results in a conviction, which is the worst possible outcome. Don’t hesitate to call an experienced Texas CDL ticket lawyer! Call us now for your free consultation.
All Texas driver’s licenses, including Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL), are issued by The Texas Department of Public Safety, which imposes severe penalties for CDL holders who are convicted of traffic violations. Not only are there significant financial penalties, but more importantly, there are temporary and lifetime suspensions of commercial driving privileges for convictions of certain traffic violations and/or a combination of traffic violations.
CDL holders are quite unique; not only for the qualifications required to obtain and hold a commercial driver’s license but also for the high standards to which they are held by traffic law enforcement. CDL holders are well aware that their livelihoods depend on maintaining an active and valid CDL. Receiving traffic violations can quickly put a CDL holder in serious jeopardy of losing their job, either because the licensing authority suspends their CDL or their insurance company refuses to insure them. Don't take a chance. Hire an experienced Texas CDL ticket lawyer to help you.
The Texas Transportation Code provides five separate term lengths of CDL suspensions, including 60 days, 120 days, 1 year, 3 years and lifetime suspensions. As you can imagine, the more serious the violation and the more frequent, the longer the suspension. “Serious,” in fact, is the defined category of violations by the Texas Transportation Code ...
So, when faced with alleged traffic violations, the options for CDL holders include either pleading guilty, which results in a conviction or taking the case to trial, which may also result in a conviction.
Even if the alleged violation is not a moving or serious violation, if convicted, a CDL holder may face insurance rate increases, denials of coverage or termination from employment. We Cover All of DFW and Most of Texas for CDL Violations. Insurance rate increases, CDL suspensions and loss of employment.
The problems for CDL holders in Texas is compound ed by the fact that the courts are prohibited by law from offering plea agreements that don’t result in convictions. Some of the most common plea bargain agreements offered to non-CDL drivers are prohibited for CDL holders.
Unlike a regular license, you need your CDL to earn a living. However, Texas does not allow for deferred adjudication or a defensive driving class to avoid some of the ramifications of a traffic citation.
A trucker can suffer a CDL suspension for two moving violations. These include improper lane changes, following another vehicle too closely, or excessive speeding among others. Should your license be suspended, reinstatement is difficult, and costly.
As you know, it is common practice for employers to hire and maintain CDL drivers with clean driving records due to the high costs associated with insurance. Do not allow a traffic violation conviction to result in points against your commercial driver’s license.
Do not allow a CDL traffic violation to impact your current employment or future job opportunities. We understand that as a commercial driver, a traffic ticket conviction can impact your ability to obtain and maintain employment. As you know, it is common practice for employers to hire and maintain CDL drivers with clean driving records due to the high costs associated with insurance. Do not allow a traffic violation conviction to result in points against your commercial driver’s license. Call our Traffic Ticket CDL Defense Lawyers today and understand all the options available in your case.
If you have a CDL and have received a traffic ticket in Texas or almost anywhere else in Texas, you know that you only have a few days to either pay the ticket or request a court setting before that traffic violation becomes a warrant for your arrest. Paying the ticket is not an option. It results in a conviction, which is the worst possible outcome. Don’t hesitate to call a Texas commercial truck driver lawyer right away if you get a CDL violation! Call us now for your free consultation.
All Texas driver’s licenses, including Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL), are issued by The Texas Department of Public Safety, which imposes severe penalties for CDL holders who are convicted of traffic violations. Not only are there significant financial penalties, but more importantly, there are temporary and lifetime suspensions ...
Commercial Drivers License (CDL) holders must notify their employers within 30 days of a violation. Some violations carry federally mandated penalties serious enough to impact a driver’s income and even career. For more details on offenses and penalties, please see our Texas CDL Suspension/Revocation page for more information.
If your license is suspended or revoked, you will not be allowed to drive until you satisfy all requirements to get your license back.
Most states (but not all) operate a points system to track dangerous or careless drivers. The point system was developed to penalize drivers who have committed serious offenses, and to remove the most dangerous drivers from the road for the protection of others. A point value is added per infraction to your driving record. Accumulating points on your driving record is costly. These points impact your insurance rates, driving privileges, and credit score. Additionally, they come with hefty fines, court fees and surcharges that always accompany them. Violating driving and traffic laws can result in fines, the suspension or revocation of your driving privileges, and even imprisonment. To get your license reinstated you will pay hundreds of dollars in fines and fees.
If a vehicle is in motion when the transgression occurs, it is deemed a moving violation. This includes speeding, running a stop sign or red light, reckless driving, drunk driving (DUI/DWI), racing, and eluding an officer. The majority of moving violations are misdemeanors.