In Florida, a driver’s license can be suspended not only for violation of traffic rules, but also for many other minor violations of the law.
Truancy; drawing graffiti in an unauthorized place; the issuance of checks not supported by real money; smoking until the age when the state is allowed to use tobacco products; sexting is an incomplete list of irregularities due to which a driving license may be suspended in Florida.
One of the reasons is also non-payment of a fine for violation of traffic rules, and sometimes these are quite large sums: the cost of a red light will cost state drivers $ 166, and speeding will cost $ 300.
That is, if a $ 200 fine is not paid over time, the driver receives a suspension of a driver’s license, and the penalty rises to $ 500 if he is detained for driving with a suspended license. If you try to pay it in installments, skipping at least one payment will again lead to the suspension of the driver’s license, and for their restoration you will have to pay $ 65.
If the driver gets behind the wheel after the license is suspended, and it will be detected, he will face another penalty. Three cases of detentions for driving with a suspended license are considered a criminal offense and are punished with a prison term.
Currently, more than 700 people are serving prison sentences in Florida prisons for driving with a suspended license.
The practice of suspending a license for minor non-driving violations has increased over the years. In 2013, the state suspended 1.3 million licenses, in 2017 there were about 1.7 million.
Although the suspension of driving licenses, in addition to fines and other penalties, should have prompted people to solve their problems with the law as quickly as possible, this had the opposite effect, since for many people work is related to driving, and suspension of a license makes it impossible for them to work, and therefore pay a fine. for which she was suspended. If you use a car with a suspended license, the penalty may increase for driving without a license. Therefore, there comes a kind of vicious circle.
Some state legislators have tried several times to repeal these rules, but for some reason the Florida Parliament refuses to consider such proposals.
Picture Credit: Pacholek-cz