Facts that You Need to Know About Driving on a Suspended License in Virginia

Other than vehicular manslaughter or DUI, one of Virginia's most egregious traffic violations that you can be confronted with, is driving on a suspended license. Reckless driving, falsifying insurance documents, and a DUI charge, are among the number of causes for an individual to have their license suspended.

The penalty that an individual will be subjected to, when a Virginia police officer pulls them over and realizes that they are driving on a suspended license, is a fine that could be as high as $1,000 or they may be looking at 6 months behind bars. Add to that the fact that their driving suspension period will start over again. This means, that if you were stopped while driving on a suspended license, which was suspended for a first offense DUI refusal to submit to a chemical test, and it is a 1 year suspension, of which 8 months have already passed, then at the time of this current traffic stop, your 1 year suspension will have to be served over again in its entirety.

You are certainly taking a huge chance by driving on a suspended license in Virginia, or in any state for that matter. Another issue to consider is that if your license has been suspended by the Virginia DMV, your automobile will not be covered under any form of insurance policy. Auto insurance companies typically cancel the insurance policy on a vehicle, when the individual has their license suspended.

So, now you are without a license or auto insurance, and you find yourself in an accident. This is going to be an expensive incident. You will now be responsible for the damage caused to any other vehicles involved in the accident, any property damage that is a result of the accident, and any medical expenses incurred by any of the individuals in the other vehicles, for injuries sustained in the accident. Add to all of this the $550 fine for operating a motor vehicle without insurance that will be assessed by Virginia's Department of Motor Vehicles.

Driving on a suspended license without insurance, in Virginia carries some very substantial penalties, and if you seriously consider these penalties, it is unlikely that you will decide that driving while your license is suspended is worth it. It would be much wiser to make other arrangements for your transportation during your license suspension, such as taking a taxi or a bus, or maybe you have relatives or friends who would be willing to help you reach your destinations. For short trips, a bicycle or walking are much preferred alternatives to driving on a suspended license in Virginia.

You will need to show the DMV proof of valid SR22 insurance in Virginia, once your license suspension has expired, before your license will be reinstated. Your Virginia SR22 insurance will need to remain on file with the DMV for 3 years following your license being reinstated following a suspension.

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