A Guide To License Points In Arizona

A conviction on a traffic offense can lead to harsh consequences. You must plead guilty and pay a fine or spend time and money defending yourself in court. If you are unsuccessful in your defense, you might get points on your license. Points lead to higher insurance rates and can result in driver’s license suspension or revocation.

Convictions for moving violations come with points on your license. The more severe the offense, the more points appear on an offender’s license. This guide to license points in Arizona could provide answers, but it is always best to discuss your situation with an experienced traffic attorney.

POINTS DIFFER ACCORDING TO THE SEVERITY OF THE VIOLATION

All convictions for moving violations result in points on your license that remain for one year. If you accumulate eight or more points within a year, your license can be suspended. If you accumulate 24 or more points over three years, your license is automatically suspended for one year.

The Motor Vehicle Division of the Arizona Department of Transportation publishes a list of offenses and the points that will be assigned upon conviction. Many moving violations carry two points each. More serious offenses like drunk driving or aggressive driving carry eight points, leading to immediate license suspension.

Motorists often receive citations for several moving violations arising out of a single incident. For example, if you were speeding, ran a light, and caused an accident in which someone was injured, you could accrue seven points on your license. Even a minor moving violation in the next year could lead to a possible license suspension.

POINTS CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT

Accumulating excessive points can lead to loss of driving privileges and require you to attend classes. Completing classes can reduce license points in some cases.

LICENSE SUSPENSION

Driver’s license suspension is possible when you accumulate eight points in a year or are convicted of an eight-point offense like reckless driving. If the offense did not involve impaired driving, license suspension is possible but not automatic. A lawyer could help you retain your license in some cases.

Anyone convicted of a drunk or impaired driving offense faces a mandatory license suspension. It is possible to get a limited license before the suspension period expires if you install an ignition interlock device.

TRAFFIC SURVIVAL SCHOOL

Completing Traffic Survival School (TSS) could mean avoiding a license suspension if you accumulated eight points in twelve months and none of the convictions involved drunk driving. TSS is also an option if you were convicted of a moving violation that led to an accident that caused serious injury or death, running a red light, or committing any moving violation when you were under 18.

TSS is an eight-hour course. You must pay for the course and attend every session. Traffic court will need a certificate from an approved school verifying your successful completion.

DEFENSIVE DRIVING SCHOOL

Defensive driving school can reduce or eliminate points in some cases. A local attorney could help you resolve a speeding ticket or other minor moving violation by discussing defensive driving school.

Defensive driving school is four hours and can be completed online. You must pay for the classes and attend every session.

INSURANCE RATES

Points on your license can mean a hike in insurance rates. Points disappear from your license after twelve months, but the fact that they were there is visible to insurers for three years. Insurers often review an applicant’s driving record for the past five years, so a conviction leading to points could increase your premiums for years.

If your license was suspended due to excess points, you must get SR-22 insurance to get your license reinstated. This coverage is significantly more expensive than standard coverage.

WORK WITH A LOCAL ATTORNEY TO MINIMIZE POINTS

Avoiding points is a good reason to use a local lawyer to fight a ticket. In many cases, a legal professional can get a ticket dismissed completely. When that is not possible, we could resolve the matter with a guilty plea to an offense that carries fewer points.

Points on your license can have an impact for years. Minimize the consequences by calling an experienced attorney at Grand Canyon Law Group.