Securing a commercial driver’s license (CDL) sets a professional up for expanded future opportunities. Professionals with CDLs can drive semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles for work. They can command competitive wages and may be able to establish more control over their careers than many other blue-collar professionals.
Commercial drivers have to complete a course and pass a test to secure a CDL. They must hold themselves to a higher standard while on the job and even while operating their own vehicles to maintain their CDLs. Traffic violations can theoretically put a professional at risk of becoming ineligible for a CDL.
What types of traffic offenses are particularly risky for commercial drivers?
1. Drunk driving or test refusal
Commercial drivers are subject to a strict blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit while driving commercial vehicles. They could also face professional consequences for a drunk driving arrest that occurs while they are in their own vehicle, not a commercial truck. Drunk driving convictions can put a CDL at risk. In fact, the state can even declare a driver ineligible for a CDL because they refuse chemical testing during a traffic stop.
2. Committing a felony with a commercial vehicle
There are many ways for commercial motorists to commit felony offenses. They might participate in the transportation of stolen goods, for example, or fatally strike a pedestrian. Any felony offense involving a vehicle, even a non-commercial vehicle, could be enough to leave a commercial driver ineligible for a CDL. A felony involving their own vehicle could be adequate reason to render them ineligible.
3. Hit-and-run offenses
The increased impact of a traffic violation might make commercial motorists anxious to leave the scene of a crash. They may worry about the professional consequences of a citation or arrest. Unfortunately, that impulse to flee can lead to major consequences. A hit-and-run offense involving a licensed commercial driver could potentially cost a professional their CDL.
Allegations of fraud or driving without a license could also lead to penalties for a commercial motorist. Working with a legal professional to fight pending traffic citations or drunk driving charges can help people protect their careers. Commercial drivers may need to respond assertively to allegations that could affect their eligibility for licensing.