For most Americans, having the ability to drive is a necessity, rather than a privilege. Even doing normal, everyday things such as taking children to school or running to the grocery store involves driving. Illinois laws provide for multiple reasons as to why a person could lose their driving privileges. Some violations are unrelated to driving, such as failing to pay child support or appear in court, while most deal with some sort of driving-related infraction. For the most part, the most common way people lose their driving privileges is by being arrested or convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol. That is why it is crucial to fully understand the consequences of these types of crimes in order to avoid further punishments.

Losing Your Driving Privileges

Even if you are not convicted of DUI, you will lose your driving privileges through a statutory summary suspension if you arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and fail a chemical test or refuse to take a chemical test. If you are convicted of DUI, you will face a certain period of time during which your license will be suspended. Every situation is different, but for the most part, you are permitted to apply for special driving permits that would allow you to legally drive with your suspended or revoked license as long as you obey the terms of the permit. If you do not apply for a driving permit, but you still choose to drive while your license is suspended or revoked, you can face serious consequences.

Every motorist in Illinois is required by law to move out of the way when an emergency vehicle is coming down the street. If you do not move, then you may be issued a serious traffic ticket. What some people may not know is that you are also required to move to the farthest lane if you approach an emergency vehicle that is stopped on the side of the road. This is called the “Move Over” law, and it was created to attempt to prevent harm from coming to police officers and other emergency workers when they are responding to a call.

What Is Scott’s Law?

The Move Over law is also known as Scott’s Law, and it is named after Lieutenant Scott Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department, who was struck and killed by an intoxicated driver when he was helping at the scene of a car accident on a Chicago expressway. Scott’s Law states that when an authorized emergency vehicle gives a signal or displays flashing lights, all drivers must make an effort to change lanes to one that is not next to the emergency vehicle or reduce their speed and proceed with caution if changing lanes is unsafe or impossible.

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: