There are many consequences you can face after a DUI conviction. Depending on your specific circumstances, you could see hefty fines, jail time and a driver’s license suspension or revocation. If your license is suspended or revoked because of a DUI, you will be required to attend a hearing at the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office in order to apply for a monitoring device driving permit (MDDP), a restricted driving permit (RDP) or a full reinstatement of your driving privileges.

Administrative hearings come in two types: formal and informal. Just like the names sound, a formal hearing is more extensive than an informal hearing. It is important to understand the differences between the two types of hearings so you can be fully prepared when you attend yours with an experienced DUI attorney.

Driving under the influence can place anyone’s livelihood at risk. However, those that have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) are especially at risk – not because the consequences are necessarily more severe, but because others may have a way to work around their DUI. This is not the case for the commercial driver. Learn how you can protect your CDL after a DUI arrest, and discover what an experienced criminal defense attorney can do to help.

BAC Limits for CDL Drivers

While most drivers are held to a maximum BAC of less than 0.08, CDL drivers have an even lower legal limit. They must never reach or exceed a BAC of 0.04, or they risk a disqualification (DQ) of their CDL license. If they are caught driving with a BAC of 0.08 or higher, their state driver’s license may also be at risk for suspension. Drivers may also be subject to felony criminal charges if there are certain aggravating factors in their case (i.e. an accident that resulted in significant injury or the death of another driver).

Every driver knows you must have a valid license to operate a vehicle, so it would seem easy to avoid the consequences of driving on a suspended license. Unfortunately, the law in Illinois allows for automatic license suspensions, which can leave unsuspecting drivers at risk. Learn more about the conditions in which a license may be automatically suspended, and discover how an experienced criminal defense lawyer may be able to help with your situation.

Losing Your Driving Privileges

While many actions that can lead to a suspension of one’s license require previous knowledge of a crime (i.e. DUI, repeated moving violations), there are several situations that can lead to an automatic suspension of your license – possibly without your knowledge. Examples include:

Driving on a suspended license is a punishable offense in the state of Illinois. Unfortunately, determining the severity of that punishment is not always a straightforward process. There may be extenuating circumstances that may have led to the suspension that can work as aggravating factors. Further, if someone is injured or killed by someone driving on a suspended license, the consequences could change. Learn what you need to know about the potential consequences of driving on a suspended license in Illinois, and how you may be able to avoid them.

Minimum Consequences for Driving on a Suspended License

In the state of Illinois, driving on a suspended license is considered, at minimum, a Class A misdemeanor offense. This is the most serious form of misdemeanor, and it can lead to incarceration of up to one year. Convicted offenders may also face monetary fines, a longer suspension period, community service, extra points added to their record, and other possible consequences. Keep in mind, however, this is just the minimum consequence. Any aggravating factors can increase your penalties.

Most people associate traffic violations with consequences like monetary fines and heightened insurance premiums. Of course, all of these penalties are possible. However, there are other, heavier consequences that most people fail to consider. Believe it or not, you can be arrested for a traffic violation. More than that, you could face criminal charges that have the potential to significantly and negatively affect your overall quality of life. If you have been arrested for a traffic violation, know the potential consequences and how you can best protect yourself from them.

Driving Under the Influence

As probably the most commonly experienced traffic violation that leads to criminal charges, driving under the influence violations (DUIs) can have a serious impact on your life. Even on a first offense, convicted DUI drivers lose their license for a year. They also receive a misdemeanor charge on their criminal record, which can somewhat limit their ability to find and/or retain gainful employment. If you are being charged with a DUI, protect your license and contact a skilled criminal defense lawyer.