My name is Gordon Thompson in today’s date is July 8, 2016. The topic for today’s podcast is, points consequences for DUIs and other moving violations in Arizona.
In Arizona a conviction for a moving violation results in the assessment of points against the person’s Arizona driver license, or privilege to drive. Examples of points consequences are, in terms of the points, DUI is an 8-point assessment, reckless driving is an 8-point assessment, racing is a 8-point assessment, leaving the scene of an accident is a 6-point assessment, speed not reasonable prudent is a 3-point assessment and most other moving violations are 2-point assessments.
Violations which are not moving violations, for example no proof of insurance or no proof of registration, do not result in the assessment of points.
A limitation on this is that in order for it to be a points violation the violation must exist under state law and not a city code. For example if someone is cited for squealing tires in the city of Phoenix and found responsible for squealing tires, then it does not result in the assessment of points.
In terms of the consequences of the assessment of points here is a rough guide: if a person receives 8 to 12 points within a 12 month time period then they have to do a traffic survival school, and if they do not do that traffic survival school their license is suspended for six months; if the person receives 13 to 17 points within a 12 month time period, that it is a three-month suspension; 18 to 23 points results in a 6-month suspension; and the assessment of 24 or more points over a 36-month time period, a much longer time, results in a one-year suspension for points.
Suspension for points do not allow restricted driving, so it’s a straight no driving.
The assessment of points can happen for offenses that occur outside of Arizona if somebody has an Arizona driver’s license. I have seen that on occasion, although it’s not a consistent practice, but it can happen.
If somebody is ordered to do a traffic survival school for points and they do not do that traffic survival school then their license is suspended for a 6-month time period. If they are ordered to do traffic survival school because they got a red light violation then the license is suspended indefinitely until they complete the traffic survival school. If it is for a points suspension and the license is suspended for not completing the traffic survival school, once the person completes the traffic survival school the suspension ends, and the same thing is true for the red light violation (meaning they can clear the suspension by doing traffic survival school).
One other fact with regard to traffic survival school assignments, meaning orders to go to traffic schools, if within a year of being ordered to go to traffic survival school the person gets any moving violations then that’s a 3-month point suspension, and again that means no driving. If within a 24-month time period they get 8 to 12 points then it is a 3-month suspension for no driving. So there are consequences after the person does the traffic survival school.
So that’s basically the topic for today, points consequences for DUI and other moving violations.
If you have any questions please call me. Thank you.