Beyond standard traffic violations, there are a variety of reasons a commercial driver may get pulled over by the police. For example, you may have been issued a ticket for having an overweight truck. Depending on the facts and circumstances of the case, we may be able to get the fines reduced or waived. Even if your employer has already agreed to pay the ticket because it loaded the truck, we may be able to get the fines reduced or waived, thus saving your employer money and making you look good.
There are numerous other reasons you might be ticketed as a CDL driver. We are committed to helping you in any way we can. Even if we cannot provide you help, we can probably refer you to someone who can. We encourage you to contact our office right away to see what we can do regardless of the ticket you received.
Commercial drivers are also subject to additional civil liabilities. If there is an accident associated with a violation that occurs in a work truck, you could expose yourself and your employer to significant liability. By hiring a lawyer to handle any tickets you may have received, we may be able to get the ticket dismissed or amended, limiting the liability exposure of your employer and preventing you from having points or a conviction go against your driving record.
If you have a commercial driver’s license, it is advisable to immediately contact an attorney if you receive a traffic ticket. Even if out-of-state (see our out-of-state tickets section), a conviction on your driving record can have serious consequences, jeopardizing your ability to get raises and promotions, to retain your current employment, or to seek new employment.
In Illinois, prosecutors will often offer CDL drivers with clean record court supervision. Court supervision is basically a suspended imposition of sentence. If you agree to plead guilty to the traffic offense, the court will place you on court supervision for a period of time (usually 30 to 90 days). Assuming you don’t get any convictions during the period of court supervision, the case will be dismissed.
Many CDL drivers mistakenly believe that they have taken care of their traffic ticket if they accept court supervision. They believe that if they successfully complete court supervision and the case is dismissed that their employers will never find out.
However, if you are a CDL driver, court supervision in Illinois is treated in the same manner as a conviction. Your employer will likely find out if you accept court supervision, and it will have the same practical effect as being convicted of the traffic offense.
It is important to consult with a lawyer if you have received a traffic ticket. An experienced lawyer may be able to get the traffic ticket amended or dismissed so that your employer will not find out.
Regardless of what the ticket is for, it can have serious consequences for a commercial driver, and contacting a lawyer can make a big difference. Call for a quote or for additional information.