A lack of knowledge on the part of the vehicle driver has left a lot of drivers paying fees they should not have had to. Knowledge is power, and drivers need to stay aware of many of the rules and violation details that coincide with driving through the great state of Virginia. Drivers are particularly confused about the ramifications of demerit points, and how safe points can make them go away.
Low and High Demerit Points
Demerit points in the state of Virginia range from three to six points. A single violation for a red light may only be three points. A DWI may result in a six point violation, and likely a license suspension. Driving without Insurance Ticket in Virginia is a minor violation, and potentially the only violation that does not automatically necessitate demerits on the license (though it commonly receives three points).
Demerits are most often active on a license for two years. After that point, they go away. A few more severe cases may stay on a license for a longer period of time, and some situations will stay on a record permanently. This is common with anything related to commercial driving. Naturally, an accumulation of many demerit points will force a license suspension or revocation.
Safe Points
There is a useful buffer against demerit points. Safe points cannot be earned in any way besides having a clean license for a year. The state of Virginia awards a single safe point in April of every year following a year with no violations. The safe point automatically reduces a demerit if any are present.
Some drivers may be close to the line for getting their license suspended. Some states have the number of demerit points at nine to obtain a suspension. To avoid this fate, a driver may complete a driver improvement course. A driver can only do this a few times in their life. Completion of the course will remove a demerit, which could come in handy if a driver is a point away from a suspension- or worse. A Traffic Violation Lawyer will help a driver walk through these details, and to avoid a potential long-term consequence.
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