Dealing with a Florida Suspended License
One of the most stressful and unfortunate things that can befall any Florida driver is the suspension of his or her drivers license. Whether you’ve committed a serious infraction (such as a DUI), or you’ve accumulated too many points within a period of time, the result is the same: you will lose your driving privileges and be required to complete an Advanced Driver Improvement course.
How License Suspensions Occur
Your license may be suspended for a number of reasons, all of which are equally preventable. Some of the most common reasons involve point accumulation. If you are a habitually careless driver who receives multiple infractions within a given period of time, the state will revoke your driving privileges. These point accumulations include:
- 12 points within 12 months – 30-day suspension
- 18 points within 18 months – 90-day suspension
- 24 points within 36 months – 1 year suspension
You may also have your license suspended if:
- You fail to complete a court-ordered traffic school
- You were convicted of driving under the influence (DUI)
- You have been determined to possess inadequate vision to drive
- You have been found at fault for an accident which resulted in death or serious bodily injury
- You are found delinquent in child support payments
The Florida Hardship License
Your first step toward reinstating your driving privileges is obtaining a Florida hardship license. Most of the previously-mentioned convictions are eligible for the hardship license. This license is a temporary driver’s license which permits you to drive to and from specifically-designated areas. These include traveling to/from work and school.
Before you apply for a hardship license, you must be able to provide proof of enrollment in a 12-Hour Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) course. Once you’ve enrolled in a course, you may bring proof to the DHSMV and receive your hardship license to help you through while you work toward reinstatement.
Completing a 12-Hour ADI Course
To reinstate your driver’s license, you’ll need to successfully complete a advanced driver improvement course. While most traffic school courses are 4 or 8 hours for minor or habitual offenders, the course required for license reinstatement must span 12 hours in length. Since you have limited driving abilities at this time, your best option for taking the course is signing up for one that is provided online.
An online Florida ADI course is available from your home computer, making it easier to complete with your restricted mobility. You also do not need to set a strict study schedule – you may work in sessions when you find time, and complete the 12 hours over a matter of days or weeks, if your judge allows. Just be sure to finish your entire course by the deadline you are given through your court, or else you risk forfeiting the license that you’ve been working so hard to obtain.
After Your Course
When you’ve completed all 12 hours of your ADI course, the judge will give you explicit directions on when you can expect to receive your driving privileges. As many infractions carry a minimum suspension period, you may just need to wait yours out. However, if you’ve committed an infraction that doesn’t carry a minimum sentence, you may be able to regain your privileges within a much shorter amount of time. The important thing is to take the lessons you’ve learned from your traffic school course, and apply them to every day responsible driving. With a commitment to being a safe member of the driving community, you’ll be able to retain your driving privileges for the rest of your life on the roads.
