What to Know About Commercial Driver’s License Violations in Illinois

 Posted on December 22, 2020 in Traffic violations

In Illinois, if you drive a truck or other commercial vehicle, you must possess a commercial driver’s license (CDL) in addition to a personal driver’s license. Both to earn your CDL and to keep your CDL, you need to meet higher standards than the average driver. The same goes for the laws that you must abide by, and as a result, many commercial driver’s license violations are not as easy to handle as a typical traffic violation. In fact, serious commercial driver’s license violations in Illinois like commercial driver’s license DUI, aggravated speeding, reckless driving, and even failure to report violations from other states can lead to not only driver’s license suspension but also much more serious penalties.

4 Serious Commercial Driver’s License Violations in Illinois

CDL violations are treated quite differently from civilian traffic violations, in large part because the vehicles involved are much more impactful if not driven safely and properly. Here is an overview of some of the most serious commercial driver’s license violations in Illinois:

1. Commercial driver’s license DUI—A personal DUI is already a serious offense, but when you couple drunk driving with a big rig, you have a mistake that could more likely become a fatal error. The legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for commercial drivers is more stringent, at .04 as opposed to .08 for personal drivers. In addition to traditional DUI penalties, a CDL DUI also includes one year of disqualification from having a CDL for the first offense and up to a lifetime of CDL disqualification for subsequent offenses. This means that the CDL DUI conviction could spell the end of your commercial driving career. In addition, a DUI in your personal vehicle can also result in the suspension of your CDL license.

2. Aggravated speeding or reckless driving—Once again, if you are a commercial driver, odds are you are operating heavy machinery. With such heavy machinery, you cannot afford to speed or drive recklessly due to the increased likelihood of major harm to other drivers on the road. 

3. Failure to report out-of-state violations—Even if you get cited for a CDL violation in another state, that does not mean that it did not happen. You must report all out-of-state convictions or suspensions to both the Secretary of State in Illinois and your employer within 30 days of the incident. It is against the law to do otherwise. If you neglect to report out-of-state violations, you might lose your driving privileges as a commercial driver.

4. At-fault accidents or fleeing the scene of accidents—If you are a commercial driver, it is not only your responsibility to humanity but also your responsibility to your profession to stay on the scene of an accident. In addition, if you are the cause of an accident, especially one that results in severe injuries or fatalities, you may face serious charges.

Contact a Kane County Commercial Driver’s License Violations Defense Lawyer

The consequences of a conviction for a commercial driver’s license violation can have a major impact on your life and career. If you are facing charges, you should reach out to an Elgin, IL CDL violations attorney. To protect your CDL, call the skilled team from the Law Offices of Brian J. Mirandola at 847-488-0889 for a free consultation. 

Sources:

https://www.illinoisdriverslicensereinstatementlawyer.com/cdl-violations.html

https://www.isba.org/sections/trafficlaw/newsletter/2013/03/sixtipsforassistingthecommercialdri

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K6-514