Many people in Georgia and across the country see obtaining a driver’s license as a rite of passage. When your child got to the age of 16 and could drive away on his or her own, you likely felt a number of mixed emotions. You probably felt proud, anxious, worried and other emotions as you watched him or her drive alone for the first time.
Over the years, you may have kept a close eye on your child’s driving habits, but when he or she went off to college, you knew there was little you could do to keep tabs on those driving habits any longer. As a result, you may have worried that your child would end up in a serious situation that could cause the loss of his or her license.
Suspended license
You may have expected your child to get a ticket or two over the years, and you deemed any that he or she did receive the responsibility of your child. Of course, if he or she did not pay the associated fines or handle the ticket as otherwise appropriate, it is possible that authorities could suspend your child’s license. Some other issues that could lead to suspension include the following:
- Driving without a valid license
- Unpaid fees or fines not associated with traffic tickets
- DUI
A DUI may have been a specific concern you had as a parent because you know that the college years can be a time of experimentation and branching out for young people. In many cases, students end up in situations where they may have access to drugs or alcohol, and if someone offered your child something, he or she may not have said no. If such an event did lead to a DUI, you have valid concerns about your child’s future.
Revoked license
Unfortunately, a suspended license is not the most severe punishment that a person’s license could face. If a serious offense has taken place or someone has repeat DUI offenses, it is possible for that person to lose his or her license completely and have to go through certain steps, including applying for a new license, in efforts to regain driving privileges.
Hopefully, your child has not reached a point where license revocation is a serious concern, but even a first-time DUI offense could lead to a suspended license. As a result, you undoubtedly want to help your child understand his or her legal options for handling such a difficult ordeal.
