Truckers and those who drive different types of commercial vehicles operate large and heavy vehicles that have the ability to cause serious damage in the event they are involved in an accident. For this reason, federal laws and state authorities take commercial traffic and safety violations very seriously. If you hold a commercial driver’s license, even seemingly minor traffic violations or safety issues can result in serious consequences for you.
Depending on the nature of your individual case, a traffic violation or citation can affect your CDL and compromise your entire career. If you are facing this situation, you will find it beneficial to take immediate action to protect your career. There are steps you can take that will allow you to fight an accumulation of points on your license and keep your future job opportunities intact.
Points on your license
There are state guidelines that may determine how many points will go on your license for a specific type of traffic violation. According to the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration, there are a certain number of points you could accumulate on your license for violations related to carelessness. Some examples of this include:
- Three-point citations: Having a failure to dim headlights, inadequate reflectors on a truck and defective mechanisms in a truck
- Four-point citations: Failing to conduct a pre-trip inspection and having a faulty braking system
- Six-point citations: Having inoperable headlights or taillights, having power steering deficiencies
- Seven-point citations: Lack of proper seatbelt use, driving with improperly secure loads or driving with tie-down deficiencies
- Eight-point citations: Violations of airbrake restrictions or having worn tire treads
- 10-point citations: Past-due service inspection or other safety-related deficiency
The number of points you could have on your license for a traffic or safety violation depends on the details of your individual case. For example, two to eight points on your license for speeding are possible, depending on how fast you were going over the posted speed limit.
Protecting your job and your future
If you are a commercial driver in Ohio, and traffic violations or points on your CDL are affecting the future of your job, the time to act is now. You would be wise not to delay in getting the help you need to fight back, possibly avoiding additional points or mitigating some of the penalties you are facing. An assessment of your specific case can help you understand the most appropriate way you can keep your CDL in good standing.
