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Points, Suspension and the Driver Assessment Reexamination Process in Michigan |
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Monday, 04 February 2008 |
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The "points" system in Michigan can be confusing and often leads to many questions that a Deputy in Michigan gets from citizens on a daily basis. Although the Michigan Secretary of State's Office provides little concrete answers about what happens to your driver's license and license status when you start to accumulate points, we will try to clarify what we do know for sure.
The Secretary of State's Office decides when to suspend or revoke a persons driver's license in Michigan through a process they call a Driver Assessment Reexamination. You may be asked to attend one of the examinations for the following reasons:
- You have received tickets while on probation.
- The Secretary of State has reason to believe that you cannot drive safely due to a mental or physical condition.
- You have been involved in a fatal crash.
- You
have been involved in three or more traffic crashes within a two-year
period where the crash report indicates you were at fault.
- You have accumulated 12 or more points within a two-year period.
- You have been convicted of violating the restrictions, terms or conditions of your license.
If
you are scheduled for a driver assessment reexamination, you will
receive a notice telling you when and where to appear. This is one of the reasons that it is important to keep your address updated with the SOS. If you fail to appear at your reexamination appointment the SOS can suspend your drivers license, and you then may not receive notification of the suspension because both notifications are going to the wrong address.
Your
reexamination will include time for the driver assessment analyst to
review your driver record and discuss your driving behavior with you.
You may be required to pass vision and knowledge tests as well as an
on-road performance test. You may also be required to provide a
medical or vision statement for review.
At
the conclusion of your driver assessment reexamination, your license
may be unaffected, or it may be restricted, suspended or revoked
depending on a number of factors. These factors include the type of
violation or unsafe driving behavior involved, your driver record, and
your willingness to comply with assessment recommendations and
requirements. License restrictions allow you to drive under certain
terms and conditions that will be stated on your restricted license. A
license suspension means that your driving privileges are taken away
for a determined period of time, ranging from days to months. A
license revocation means that you must wait one to five years before
you are eligible to reapply for possible re-licensure. If your license
is restricted, suspended, or revoked, you will be given your appeal
rights and licensing reinstatement information.
If you are caught driving with a suspended, denied or revoked driver's license by a Deputy or Police Office in many Michigan jurisdictions they will require that you be taken to jail, often even for a first offense.
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Public Safety 