Traffic ticket prevents New York man from getting CDL
With the economy still recovering slowly from the recession that started in 2008, many New Yorkers are looking to make themselves more marketable to employers by adding training and certifications. Some experience roadblocks because of run-ins with the law. A New York man trying to obtain his commercial driver’s license in July 2013 to advance at his current job was stymied by a five-year-old traffic ticket that he says he never received. This man’s story is one example of the problems that traffic tickets can cause for people and the importance of contesting such tickets.
Traffic ticket causes problems
The New York man works as a bus aide for a transit company that provides transportation for We Care recipients. By obtaining his CDL, he could be a driver and earn more money. He passed the CDL test in 2013, but when he applied for the license a DMV employee found that the state of Florida had red-flagged him. Florida had a record of issuing the man a traffic ticket in 2008, and when he failed to respond to the ticket the court issued a warrant for his arrest.
The man says that he was living and working in Illinois in 2008, so there is no way he could have gotten the ticket in Florida at that time. A complicating factor is that he lived in Florida several years prior to the issuance of the ticket, and he had a driver’s license in the state. This is contributing to the difficulties he is having in expunging the ticket.
The man tried to have the ticket expunged in Florida, but his initial request was denied. He is continuing to work to get the ticket expunged so he can get his CDL.
Effects of traffic tickets
Traffic tickets can cause people more problems than not being able to advance at work. Traffic violations carry penalties that can be a real hardship for people. Many result in stiff fines, and those fines increase for repeat offenses. For example, a fine for a first time violation of the state’s laws regarding cell phone and portable electronic device use while driving can result in a fine of up to $150.
New York also has a point system for driver’s licenses. When people receive traffic tickets for several offenses such as speeding, improper cell phone use, improper lane change, following too closely and reckless driving, they also rack up points on their driving records. Collecting 11 points in 18 months results in a driver losing his or her license.
Speak with an attorney
Traffic tickets can lead to a host of problems for drivers. People lose money, job opportunities and even their driving privileges in some cases. Instead of just paying them, people should talk to a seasoned traffic ticket lawyer about how to reduce the damage that traffic tickets can do.