Page 47 - FINAL GA Drivers Manual Updated July 2021

SECTION 10

LOSING YOUR ments have been completed. At the end of the • Failure to appear in court or respond to a
citation;
withdrawal period, a resident may apply for
DRIVING PRIVILEGES reinstatement and return of the license or the
eligibility to obtain a license. Non-residents may • Non-payment of Child Support;
apply for reinstatement of driving privileges. • Non-payment of the Super Speeder fee;
This Section Covers • Safety responsibility;
Disqualification of Commercial
Types of Withdrawals ..........................................46 Driver’s License • Medical revocation;
If a commercial driver’s license is disquali-
Reporting Convictions ......................................... 46 fied, all privileges to operate a commercial mo- • Parent requested revocation (under age 18).
Types of Suspensions .......................................... 46 tor vehicle are withdrawn for a specific period of The Department is required by law to sus-
Implied Consent ....................................................47 time. At the end of the disqualification period, pend the privileges of an individual for a convic-
if a licensee holds a CDL license that is not ex- tion of any of the following offenses:
The Points System ............................................... 48 pired, the licensee’s commercial privileges will
Points Reduction ................................................. 48 be automatically restored without any action • Homicide by vehicle;
Points Avoidance ................................................. 48 required, provided that the licensee is otherwise • Feticide by Vehicle (1st degree);
Safety Responsibility Law ...................................48 eligible to still maintain a commercial driver’s • Serious injury by vehicle;
Mandatory Revocations ....................................... 48 license. If the licensee does not hold a CDL at
the expiration of the disqualification period, • Driving under the influence of alcohol or
Limited Driving Permits ...................................... 48 the licensee’s ability to apply for a CDL will drugs;
Commercial Driving Disqualifications ..............49 be restored. • Any felony in the commission of which a
Major Traffic Violations .......................................49 A disqualification of commercial driving motor vehicle is used;
Serious Traffic Violations .................................... 49 privileges does not, by itself, result in the sus-
pension or revocation of a licensee’s privileges • Using a motor vehicle in fleeing or attempting
Other Violations .................................................... 49 to operate a NON-commercial motor vehicle. to elude an officer;
However, many offenses that result in a com- • Hit and run or leaving the scene of a crash;
mercial disqualification also result in a non-
commercial suspension, though the periods of • Racing;
withdrawal may differ. In Georgia, it is possible
The State of Georgia considers dangerous and • Operating a motor vehicle with a revoked,
negligent drivers to be a direct and immediate to lose commercial driving privileges for LIFE canceled, or suspended registration;
threat to the welfare and safety of the general upon the conviction of certain offenses. More
public, and it is in the best interest of the citizens information related to the commercial driver’s • Driving without insurance;
of Georgia to immediately remove such drivers license program is available on our website at • Driving while license is suspended, revoked,
from the highways of this state. Therefore, the dds.georgia.gov. or canceled;
Department of Driver Services is authorized
to withdraw the license or driving privileges Reporting Convictions • Refusal to weigh commercial motor vehicle;
when evidence is obtained that the licensee is • Violation of license restriction (at the discre-
a habitually dangerous or negligent driver of Georgia courts are required by law to report tion of the trial court).
a motor vehicle (from Georgia law §40-5-57) the conviction of any offense that will result in a
In addition to the offenses listed above, the li-
negative impact on a licensee’s driving privilege cense and/or driving privileges of an individual
Types of Withdrawals or that is otherwise required to be posted to the under the age of 21 on the date of the conviction
permanent driving history of an individual.
This includes most traffic-related offenses as will be suspended for the following offenses:
The driver’s license of any individual, the eli- well as certain non-traffic related offenses. • Reckless driving;
gibility to obtain a driver’s license, or the ability When the DDS receives a conviction for a
to legally operate a motor vehicle in the State of Georgia license holder, the record is updated to • Aggressive driving;
Georgia may be impacted by one or more of the reflect the conviction. If a conviction is received • Speeding 24 mph or more over the speed
following actions:
for an individual who holds a license from an- limit;
Cancellation other state or is the resident of another state, • Unlawful passing of a school bus;
the conviction information will be forwarded
The Department of Driver Services is autho- to the licensing authority of that state. If a non- • Improper passing on a hill or a curve;
rized to cancel a license if the applicant fails to resident, or a resident of Georgia who does not
give the required or correct information needed have a driver’s license, is convicted of certain of- • Any 4-point offense;
at the time application is made, or if the indi- fenses, the eligibility to obtain a Georgia driver’s • Four or more points in 12 months prior to
vidual becomes otherwise ineligible after ap- license and/or driving privileges in Georgia age 18;
plication has been made. A resident may reapply will be suspended.
for a license once the requirements have been Convictions reported to the Georgia DDS by
satisfied and the resident is otherwise eligible.
licensing authorities or courts in other states and
Revocation nations will be placed on the driving record of
a Georgia licensee or resident. The Department
If a license is revoked, all driving privileges will treat such convictions as if they had oc-
are terminated and withdrawn until the end curred in this state for the purpose of imposing
of the period of time prescribed by the formal license withdrawals.
action of the Department. At the end of the re-
vocation period, a resident may apply for a new
license. Non-residents may apply for reinstate- Types of Suspensions
ment of driving privileges.
The Department will suspend the driving
Suspension privileges of an individual in any of the follow-
If a license is suspended, all driving privi- ing non-conviction situations:
leges are temporarily withdrawn for a specific • Refusal to take a chemical test for intoxica-
period of time or until reinstatement require-
tion;

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