From the perspective of the law, driving is a privilege, rather than a right, that can be withheld from an individual who fails to abide by the provisions of the law regulating driving, and other issues, including drug and alcohol addiction.
In Florida, as in other states, part of the process of ensuring that individuals follow driving laws is the application of the driver’s license point system. Under this system, you accumulate violation points for various traffic infarctions that have a numeric point value attached to them.
For each infraction, you will be issued a ticket and the total number of accumulated points will be constantly monitored with each subsequent ticket. If you accumulate enough points to reach the maximum allowed within a period under consideration, your license will be suspended. Any point value you incur will count against your driver’s license for a period of five years.
Under Florida law, the point values are divided into three: six, four, and three points for clearly delineated infractions listed below.
The outcome of accumulating the allowable maximum number of points for a stated time period is the suspension of your license. Under Florida law, this is how it works:
One-Year Suspension – For accumulating a total of 12 traffic points within 12 months
Three-month Suspension – For accumulating a total of 18 traffic points within a 18 months
30-day suspension – For accumulating a total of 12 traffic points within 12 months
Minors
Traffic law bears down harder on minors, since the safety of others must be considered in direct proportion to their youthful exuberance and its implication when they are behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Under Florida law, a driving curfew is imposed on minors below the age of 17 between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The only exception is when the minor is going to work, or returning from work, or when they are accompanied by a properly licensed driver from the age of 21 and upwards. Minor drivers who are 17 are bound by the same restrictions, the only difference is that their curfew period is between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Interstate License Issues
Florida has a reciprocal agreement with most of the other states, meaning that if you incur traffic points in Florida, the same count against you in other states. For instance, if your license is suspended in Florida, the suspension will also apply in other states. Also, if you fail to pay a traffic ticket issued in Florida, or vice-versa, the same will count against your driver’s license, and ultimately, your driving privileges.
