How to Keep Your Commercial Driver's License

Losing your Commercial Driver's License (CDL) can be a major setback for any professional driver. Whether it's due to traffic violations, accidents, or other infractions, the consequences can be severe. Not only can it result in the loss of your livelihood, but it can also have a significant impact on your personal and professional lives.

Getting Certain Traffic Violations

It’s important to be cautious when driving a commercial truck. Not only do you want to drive safely and prevent accidents, but you should also want to avoid getting traffic tickets. For example, the government considers the following traffic offenses as serious violations:

• Excessive speeding, typically 15 miles per hour or more over the speed limit • Following too closely • Improper lane changes • Reckless driving • Distracted driving • Driving a commercial vehicle without carrying your CDL • Traffic violations that lead to a fatality

If you get cited for two of these serious violations within three years, your CDL may be revoked for at least 60 days. Getting a ticket for three of them in three years may lead to your CDL being revoked for 120 days.

There are also major violations that are considered even more serious offenses than the above. Major traffic violations can result in you losing your CDL for at least one year, or three years if you’re hauling hazardous materials. Major violations include the following:

• Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs • Refusing a chemical test to detect drugs or alcohol • Leaving the scene of an accident • Driving a commercial vehicle under a revoked CDL • Negligently causing a death with your commercial vehicle • Using a vehicle to commit a felony

In many cases, even if you’re charged with these serious offenses in your own personal car, your CDL may be revoked for a year or more. If you use a commercial truck for transporting controlled substances or human trafficking, your CDL will be revoked for life. Clearly, these CDL requirements should be taken seriously if you want to keep your CDL.

What should you do if you are at risk of losing your CDL?

If you find yourself in a precarious situation where your Commercial Driver's License (CDL) is at risk of being suspended, it is crucial to take immediate action. One of the most wise steps you can take is to reach out to a skilled and experienced attorney who specializes in CDL matters. Seeking legal counsel in such circumstances can prove to be a game-changer, potentially safeguarding your livelihood and ensuring that you navigate the complex legal landscape with confidence.

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