When a police officer pulls you over to issue a ticket, they won’t just ruin your day. If you choose to pay the fine for the ticket, they will affect your driving privileges. Every traffic infraction adds points to your license which the state of Illinois tracks.
Eventually, if you have too many tickets in a short period of time, the state will suspend or possibly even revoke your license. Losing your driving privileges can be a major hardship, which is why you need to understand how the point system works before you decide to pay your most recent ticket.
When do points potentially cost your license?
Anyone who has three citations within 12 months could face the suspension of their license. Drivers under the age of 21 can face suspension for two moving violations in 24 months. Some offenses, like operating a motorcycle on one wheel, carry a large number of points. You will add 55 points to your license if you get a reckless driving charge for driving on one wheel. A ticket for driving below the minimum speed limit will only add five points to your license.
The total number of points, as well as the severity of the infractions, will determine how long you lose your license for after multiple citations. Those with between 15 and 44 points will only lose their license for two months if they are over the age of 21. Those with between 100 and 109 points will face a 12-month suspension. More than that will lead to revocation.
How can you preserve your driving privileges?
If you already have a couple of citations in recent months, then the most recent ticket could be the tipping point for your license. Even if it is your first citation in recent history, paying the ticket and therefore pleading guilty to the infraction will mean that your next ticket could cost you your license.
Fighting back against a recent citation will not just save you from the cost of the fine but also from the points that the ticket carries which could eventually cost your license. Mounting a successful defense to a traffic ticket will help protect your license and keep your insurance costs reasonable.
