Traffic Violations

In the Chicago area, you rely on your car to get around. If you're convicted of certain traffic violations, your freedom to drive is jeopardized, and you will likely pay increased insurance rates as a result of your conviction. Illinois assesses penalties for traffic violations on a point system. This means that even if you are only convicted of relatively minor traffic offenses, if you are convicted of enough of them, you could still have your license suspended or revoked.

A suspension is a temporary loss of license, which usually involves a fine and a waiting period (usually at least two months, but often up to twelve months) before you can get your license back. Revocation is an indefinite loss of your license; the process to reinstate your license following a revocation is more complicated than that following a suspension.

Losing your license, even temporarily, affects your ability to get to work, socialize, and take care of your family. Many jobs require you to be able to drive, and if you are not legally able to, you could lose your job. Many offenses can lead to a suspended or revoked license, including:

• Excessive traffic violations (three moving violations in a single year if you are 21 years of age or older, or two moving violations in a two year period if you're under 21)
• DUI conviction
• Felony conviction involving a motor vehicle
• Use of a false ID/driver license
• Leaving the scene of an accident
• Conviction for insurance violation
• Conviction for passing a school bus

The attorneys of Beuke & Beuke know how important your right to drive is to you. We regularly protect the driver licenses of clients (including commercial drivers) charged with many traffic offenses, a few of which include:

• Petty Speeding (1-25 MPH over the speed limit)
• Class B Misdemeanor Speeding (26-34 MPH over the speed limit)
• Class A Misdemeanor Speeding (35+ MPH over the speed limit)
• Driving on a suspended license
• Reckless driving
• Improper lane usage
• Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle
• Failure to obey a railroad-crossing signal
• Drag racing or street racing
• Passing a school bus discharging or receiving children
• Using a cell phone while driving
• DUI/Aggravated DUI
• Commercial Driver License (CDL) violations

Don't make the mistake of thinking an Illinois traffic conviction is no big deal; you may come to regret it when you realize, too late, what's at risk.

Attorneys Rick Beuke and Peter Beuke concentrate their practice in criminal defense, and they take every case seriously--including traffic offenses. Rick and Peter know Illinois traffic law, and work as a team to gather all the facts and present the strongest possible defense for you. When your license is on the line, a strong defense is your best investment. If you have been charged with a traffic offense, get skilled legal help. Contact Beuke & Beuke immediately so that we can get to work protecting your right to drive.