When your driving privileges are suspended, life can get quite inconvenient. But driving on a suspended license puts you at risk for far more inconvenient penalties—like jail time and fines. If you’ve been charged with driving on a suspended or revoked license, we may be able to help.
When the courts take your license, you have to depend on other means to get you through your daily life. You may count on friends or family to help you out during this time. But sometimes there is no help available. Whether you have to get to work or get your child to the doctor, many people thing that driving “just this once” won’t hurt. That is, until they get caught.
Under Pennsylvania law, your license can be suspended for a variety of reasons. Nearly any criminal conviction can result in you losing your driving privileges. Driver’s license suspensions are most commonly seen in cases of:
Once your license has been suspended, you are not allowed to drive under any circumstances. Even in an emergency, you can still be charged with a criminal offense for driving on a suspended license.
Penalties for Driving On a Suspended License in PA
In general, if you are caught driving on a suspended license, you will face charges of a summary offense. This means you could be sentenced to up to 90 days in jail and a minimum $200 fine. It is rare that anyone accused of a first time offense is sentenced to any significant amount of jail time, though it is always possible.
If your license was suspended for a DUI offense or refusing to take a breath test, you will face a mandatory minimum jail sentence of 60 days as well as a minimum fine of $500.
(PA Code §75-1543)
If your license is suspended and you are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of the traffic stop, you will face a minimum 90 day sentence in addition to any DUI charges.
Subsequent offenses will carry more serious charges. Obviously, treats repeat offenders far more severely than first time offenders.
While having a suspended license can be extremely inconvenient, being charged with driving despite this can make matters even worse. If you are accused of driving on a suspended or revoked license, you have options. Contact our offices today to discuss the details of your case and how we might be able to help.