Louisiana law strives to set forth clear and effective rules and consequences for citizen’s actions.
And yet, after a traffic stop, you might still be wondering whether or not your license is suspended.
So how can you find out whether your license has been suspended, and what should you do if it has?
How to find out if your license has been suspended
If you’re wondering whether or not your license is suspended in New Orleans, the best option is to complete a Louisiana DMV Reinstatement Inquiry. Be prepared with your driver’s license number and last four numbers social security number to complete the inquiry. A reinstatement inquiry should tell you all of the steps to take to get your license back.
Additionally, you can call the DMV. Just know that the phone lines fill up quickly. The earlier in the day you can initiate the call, the better experience you’re likely to have.
If you don’t have the patience to wait on hold, you can buy your official Louisiana Driving Record here.
You might also be able to request driving privileges to travel to and from work or school to limit the financial hardship placed on you as part of your license suspension.
Reasons your New Orleans license might be suspended
Your New Orleans driver’s license might be suspended for a variety of reasons. Here’s a look at Louisiana’s driving offenses that could lead to a suspended license:
- You’re involved in an accident that kills or seriously injures another person
- DWI
- You’ve committed frequent traffic offenses, giving the state concern about your care for others
- As a driver, you’ve exhibited habitual neglect or recklessness
- At a traffic stop, you were caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- You used a vehicle while committing a felony
- You engaged in a hit and run where you failed to stop after causing injury or death to someone
- You’ve been charged with reckless driving three times within one year
Each driver’s circumstances are different, so just because you meet the criteria for one of the bullet points listed above does not necessarily mean you’ll automatically have your license suspended.
Be sure to check after a traffic offense to be certain and seek legal counsel immediately if your license has been suspended.
Defending yourself against driving offenses
A license suspension is the direct result of a driving offense, or perhaps even several offenses.
To get your license back before the end of the suspension period, your best bet is to work with an experienced attorney who can reduce the offense to the lowest possible level or even have it removed entirely.
You do have options when it comes to fighting traffic offenses, even if it’s something as simple as unpaid parking tickets. Here’s a look at some ways you can resolve driving offenses to get your license reinstated quickly:
- Request that the courts allow you to do community service if you can’t pay your traffic violation tickets.
- Ask the judge to combine ticket payments into a lump sum to make it easier to pay off.
- Work with an attorney to fight each outstanding ticket to have it removed from your record and the corresponding ticket costs removed.
- File a motion to dismiss the old tickets if they are now too old for New Orleans to prosecute you for.
- Sue the DMV to get them to issue you a license.
Remember: It’s extremely important that you do not drive using your suspended license during this time. If you get pulled over and law enforcement finds you’re driving with a suspended license, your chances of successfully fighting the original offense decreases.
If you’re caught driving with a suspended license, the courts will then have even more reason to avoid reinstating your license. In fact, your suspension could be lengthened for further violations of the law.
Hiring a New Orleans traffic violation defense attorney
No matter the circumstances that led to your driver’s license being suspended, Crescent City Law can help. We know the far-reaching effects of a suspended license and will help you get it reinstated so you can return to life as normal.
We offer an initial consultation so you can get to know our law firm, the process for driver’s license reinstatement and what to expect along the way. Schedule a consultation now.
