Understanding Wisconsin’s Driver’s License Point System

 Posted on July 10, 2018 in Criminal Defense

At some point in life, most people experience being pulled over by police or receiving a ticket for a traffic violation. While a traffic ticket can disrupt your life and affect your insurance rates, drivers may not worry too extensively about the consequences of these seemingly minor offenses. However, it is important to realize that each ticket received goes on your driving record, and multiple offenses may result in serious consequences to your license.

Wisconsin’s Point System

Under Wisconsin law, each moving violation that a driver receives assigns a certain number of demerit points to his or her driving record. Points vary depending on the seriousness of the offense, and some common violations and their point values include the following:

• Speeding up to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit – three points;

• Speeding 11-19 miles per hour over the speed limit – four points;

• Speeding 20 miles per hour or more over the speed limit – six points;

• Making an illegal turn or pass – three points;

• Driving the wrong way on a one-way street – three points;

• Driving on the wrong side of the road – four points;

• Inattentive/distracted driving – four points;

• Failing to stop for a school bus when its red lights are flashing – four points;

• Failing to yield to an emergency vehicle (including a police car, ambulance, or fire truck) – four points;

• Reckless driving or street racing – six points;

• DUI – six points;

• Driving a commercial vehicle with a disqualified commercial driver’s license – six points;

• Causing injury after driving a commercial vehicle with a blood alcohol content between .04 percent and .08 percent – six points;

• Driving a motorcycle with more than two riders – two points;

• Driving a motorcycle without a motorcycle license – three points; and

• Driving a motorcycle at night without using headlights – three points.

A person who is assigned at least 12 points within a single 12-month time period will be subject to a suspension of his or her driver’s license. The length of the suspension will depend on the number of points:

• Between 12 and 16 points – suspension for two months;

• Between 17 and 22 points – suspension for four months;

• Between 23 and 30 points – suspension for six months; and

• More than 30 points – suspension for one year.

A person who has a probationary driver’s license or a driver’s permit, or does not have a license, will lose his or her driving privileges for six months if he or she receives between 12 and 30 points or, if for one year, he or she receives more than 30 points. These drivers will receive double the number of points for a second or subsequent offense.

Drivers may have three points removed from their record by completing an approved traffic safety or defensive driving course; however, this can only be done once every three years.

Contact a Milwaukee, WI Traffic Violation Lawyer

While a traffic ticket may seem like a minor nuisance, the points from seemingly small violations can quickly add up and result in the suspension of your driver’s license. To avoid the detrimental effects of a license suspension, you should work with a Milwaukee traffic ticket attorney to learn about your options for avoiding having points added to your record. Contact Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown, LLP today at 414-271-1440 to schedule a consultation.

Sources:

http://wisconsindot.gov/Pages/dmv/license-drvs/susp-or-rvkd/point-system.aspx

http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/code/admin_code/trans/101