Penalties for CDL Holders Who are Charged with Cell Phone Use While Driving
In today’s world, there is so much more that exists that can distract a driver than ever before. While distractions like outside objects, such as billboards and crash sites, and internal distractions, such as the radio and other passengers, have been around for decades, there are now unique distractions that have become a very large problem over the past two decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 30,000 people are killed and an estimated 425,000 people are injured in car accidents involving a distracted driver each year. Because of these numbers, many states have implemented strict laws about driving with hand-held devices. Anyone cited for violating these laws should contact a traffic ticket attorney right away.
Cell Phone Use
Cell phones and other hand-held devices have been the subject of much of the conversation around distracted driving. Most states have adopted strict laws in an attempt to curb the dangerous and deadly habit of using your cell phone while driving. When it comes to people who hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL), the rules are even more strict and the penalties more severe.
Texting and Driving
Most states have laws in place that state a person driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) is not permitted to text while they are driving. If a CDL driver is caught violating this rule, they could receive a high number of points on their driving record. If they receive multiple violations within a certain time period, their CDL driver’s license can be suspended or revoked.
Using a Hand-Held Cell Phone While Driving
Many states have now passed laws that state that drivers are not permitted to use a hand-held cell phone while they are driving a commercial motor vehicle, nor can a motor carrier require its drivers to use a hand-held cell phone while driving. Drivers are only permitted to use a hand-held cell phone while they are driving if they must do so to communicate with law enforcement officials or emergency services. Violations can also result in multiple points added to your driving record.
Other Penalties
Depending on the state you are in, a violation of either rule may be considered a “serious traffic violation,” which means convictions can put your commercial driver’s license at risk. For example, in some states, if you are convicted of two serious traffic violations within three years, you will face a two-month CDL disqualification. If you are convicted of three serious traffic violations within three years, you will face a four-month CDL disqualification.
Additionally, you can face civil penalties from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for violations. You could face a fine of up to $2,750 if you are convicted of using a hand-held cell phone while you are driving a CMV.
Contact a Traffic Violations Law Firm Today
To find out what legal options there are to fight a traffic violation you have been issued, call an experienced attorney, like a New Jersey traffic ticket attorney from a law firm like Rispoli & Borneo P.C.