A couple of things could happen to people with a CDL license or a commercial driver’s license. When talking about a DUI, the main difference between a CDL and a regular driver’s license is that a separate area of the law would apply to someone with a CDL.
Someone with a commercial driver’s license who was in their commercial vehicle, like a semi-truck, would be charged with a DUI if they had a blood alcohol level at or above a 0.04, as opposed to the average person who would be charged with a DUI if their blood alcohol level was at or above a .08, which would be the main difference when it comes to DUIs between normal and CDL vehicles.
The government would try to suspend the person’s ability to drive a commercial vehicle for one year simply because they were arrested and suspected of DUI while having a commercial driver’s license, even if they were driving their normal automobile. This would not necessary require conviction, it would simply mean suspected.
When dealing with a commercial driver’s license, the person would definitely want to try and fight the Motor Vehicle Division aspect. The commercial driver’s license would be suspended forever if the person was convicted of a second DUI while driving with a CDL, even if they were in their normal vehicle and they were just suspected.
It would be a lifetime ban if the person got a second DUI while having a commercial driver’s license, regardless of what vehicle they were operating, although they could still get a civilian driver’s license. The civilian driver’s license rules would still apply to them in that case, but as long as they had a CDL, one DUI would result in the commercial license suspended for a year, and a second DUI would result in the commercial driver’s license suspended for life.
A DUI With A Commercial Driver’s License Can Have Serious Repercussions
A commercial driver’s license holder would generally have more on the line because that would usually be their career, so they would probably be more inclined to want to go to trial and fight everything because losing on anything would have such a severe impact on their career.
A DUI would probably have the most life altering affect on a commercial trucker than on anyone else, because just about everyone else would be able to overcome it. Doctors, teachers, nurses, politicians, and even police officers would probably be able to overcome their DUI by taking certain steps like counseling and by doing everything they were supposed to do.
The outcome of these cases would depend because every case would be different. Commercial truck drivers would need to fight, even if they did not necessarily have a case, because they would need to fight to continue on with their career.
A commercial driver’s license would allow the driver to operate a vehicle of a certain weight. There have been situations where the trucker’s company liked them so much that they allowed them to continue driving when they got their valid driver’s license, but they were just not allowed to drive a vehicle of a certain weight because that would require a commercial driver’s license.
They would be allowed to drive smaller loads, as long as the loads did not exceed the requirement to need a commercial driver’s license.
For more information on Commercial Driver’s License Restriction, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you’re seeking by calling 480-900-0384 today.
