Commercial Driver’s License Holders Risk Livelihood With Violations

 Posted on June 16, 2022 in Criminal Defense

Holding a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) can increase your likelihood of getting and keeping a job. CDL holders undergo special training and must pass additional tests to qualify for various commercial endorsements on their license, including for hazardous materials, tanker vehicles, passenger buses, school buses, and double and triple trailers. To stay employed as a commercial driver, you must maintain your license. However, some violations will put your CDL at risk, whether you or driving a commercial vehicle or even your private vehicle.

CDL Violations and Penalties in Wisconsin

Some traffic violations may not lead to a CDL disqualification after the first offense but have cumulative effects with additional violations. These include:

• Speeding 15 miles per hour or more over the speed limit

• Illegal passing

• Illegal lane changes

• Reckless driving

• Causing a fatal motor vehicle accident

• Using a cellphone or texting while driving

For violations in this category, a second offense within three years will lead to a 60-day CDL disqualification, while a third offense within three years results in a 120-day disqualification. This includes violations in any vehicle, not just a commercial vehicle.

Any drunk driving violation, also known as Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), can significantly impact a commercial driver. While operating a commercial vehicle, commercial drivers must have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of less than 0.04 percent. If a driver is stopped with a higher BAC, they risk a CDL disqualification of one year on top of OWI charges. If the driver was operating a hazardous materials truck, they are subject to a three-year CDL disqualification. If a commercial driver is convicted of an OWI in any other vehicle, they face a one-year CDL disqualification for their first offense. A second offense results in a permanent disqualification.

Commercial drivers also risk their CDL with violations at railroad-highway grade crossings. Violations that may lead to disqualifications include disobeying traffic control devices at a railroad crossing, not slowing down or stopping to ensure the tracks are clear, driving through the crossing without stopping, and not ensuring sufficient undercarriage clearance. A first offense results in a 60-day disqualification, a second offense within three years is a 120-day disqualification, and a third offense in three years is a one-year CDL disqualification.

Contact a Milwaukee County CDL Disqualification Defense Attorney

At the Bucher Law Group, LLC, we know how important a CDL can be for commercial drivers to continue to earn a living. Our Racine County traffic violation defense lawyers can provide you with legal representation and fight for you to keep your license. If you have been charged with a traffic violation, call our office at 262-303-4916 to schedule your free consultation.

Sources:

https://wisconsindot.gov/pages/dmv/com-drv-vehs/rqts-for-cdl/cdl-requirements.aspx

https://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/com-drv-vehs/cdl-how-aply/disqualification.aspx

https://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/dmv/shared/cdl-disq.pdf