Traffic Infractions – How Many Points Does it Cost

Interviewer: How many points do you get for a traffic infraction?

Dale: It depends on the infraction. There’s reckless operation, if you’re doing over 100 miles per hour, you’re going to get a reckless, which is four points. For ordinary speeding tickets it’s two points. Failure to obey a traffic signal, two points. And for instance operating a vehicle impaired is six points.

Interviewer: That would be a DUI or an OVI. So are there any other offenses that have a lot of points to them? The serious ones.

Dale: Driving under an OVI suspension, if you get caught driving under a suspension for an OVI its six points. CDL holders also get the same number of points for this violation. They get the same number but there’s a difference as far as the OVI charges in the commercial driver’s license. If you get an OVI as a truck driver, you’re going to get what they call a “1 year disqualification.” And that means, 1 year for your first OVI, you cannot drive a commercial vehicle for 1 year. Now if you get two in a lifetime, it’s a lifetime disqualification. You can no longer drive a commercial vehicle.

Interviewer: You mentioned there’s a class you can take, what does it do get points off your license?

Dale: It doesn’t really, people think it takes points off your license but it really doesn’t. It just raises the maximum amount of points from twelve to fourteen.

Interviewer: Oh, so it just gives you a little bit of more leeway than.

Dale: Yes.

Interviewer: But if you have a citation that carries two points, taking the driver’s class won’t it get rid of those points?

Dale: No, it won’t get rid of them. There’s no course that will erase those points.

Interviewer: Have you seen people literally become un-insurable if they get enough points?

Dale: I’ve seen plenty people become high risk. Anything’s insurable, but at what cost.

Interviewer: Right, yeah if you had to spend $5000 a year to insure your car, it’s essentially so high it’ll be ridiculous