Drivers can accumulate points quickly

Published 12:12 am Monday, October 2, 2006

Chester Vanmeter of Dalton was angry when he left Whitfield County Probate Court last week.

A commercial truck driver, he was convicted by Judge Ray Broadrick of going 83 mph in a 55 mph zone, a violation that will put four points on his driving record because he was exceeding the speed limit by 24 mph or more.

Vanmeter said his truck would only go 74 mph and brought results of a test of his truck he said proved his case.

“If they pull my license, I’ll go broke,” Vanmeter said. “That’s my livelihood.”

Many drivers don’t know how easily they can lose their license if they accumulate a certain number of “points” on their driving record, said Dalton attorney Ralph Hinman, who specializes in defending traffic cases.

If drivers accumulate 15 points or more in two years, their license will be suspended for one year if it is their first offense, unless they pay a $210 fine within 120 days.

If drivers reach 15 points again within five years, their license is suspended for three years unless they pay the $210 fine within 120 days.

If drivers reach 15 points a third time within five years, their license is suspended for two years and they are not eligible for an early return of their license.

Drivers under 21 can have their license pulled if they accumulate four points or receive a DUI.

Many drivers whose licenses are suspended get behind the wheel anyway and end up in traffic court again.

“We see a lot of that,” said Glenda Estes, deputy clerk of probate court. “Most of the time they say, ‘I have to go to work,’” Estes said.

Sgt. Joe Harrison, commander of the Dalton Post of the Georgia State Patrol, agrees that suspended license violations are prevalent.

“They have stiffened the laws in the last few years and increased the fines for driving on a suspended license and you would assume it would be a deterrent,” Harrison said. “I don’t know what the solution is going to be.”

Some people may not be aware of how many points can be added to their driving record.

For example, passing a school bus unlawfully is six points, improper passing on a hill or curve is four points and exceeding the speed limit by more than 34 mph is six points.

Most moving violations that do not relate to speed limits are three points.

If a person’s license is suspended for a points violation, Hinman typically advises drivers to attend traffic school.

“Once every five years they can go to a traffic school that takes off seven points,” Hinman said. “But if you have 22 points you are out of luck.”

If your license is suspended, complaining to the court will not help.

“The misconception is that the court suspends the license,” Hinman said. “The Department of Driver’s Services suspends the license.”

The good news is that after two years, the points accumulated for certain offenses will come off the driving record.

“But the offenses will stay on forever,” Hinman said.