OFFENSES THAT WILL GET YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE REVOKED | PART 3: NOT STOPPING
This content was written for Cale Law Office
We need to drive for just about everything. So, losing our driver’s license can have a big and bad impact our lives. In this segment, Tulsa criminal defense attorney Stephen Cale talks about how a person can lose his or her license by not stopping for a school bus, church bus, or to render aid after a car accident. If you’ve been charged with any crime, call the Cale Law Office at 918-771-7314. Your initial consultation is free. This is a general overview for educational purposes and not legal advice.
State law provides for mandatory revocation of a driver’s license in certain instances. This is for convictions in municipal/city, state or federal court. You can see the full list of offenses here. One category of offenses is when a person fails to stop in certain circumstances. Let’s take a look.
NOT STOPPING FOR SCHOOL OR CHURCH BUS LOADING OR UNLOADING PASSENGERS
A school bus driver stops on a street or highway. He turns the red loading signals on. He’s either loading or unloading schoolchildren. When this happens, drivers of other vehicles must stop before reaching the school bus and not proceed until the bus driver has deactivated the loading signals. Only then can the other drivers proceed past the school bus. And, the drivers must proceed at a speed that is “reasonable and with due caution for the safety of such schoolchildren and other occupants.” The statute does not apply to a driver who is on a road or highway with separated roadways and traveling in the opposite direction of the bus.
Violating this statute, whether the conviction is in municipal or county court, will get your driver’s license automatically revoked for one year. An additional punishment is a fine of at least $100. A similar provision applies to church buses that are loading or unloading passengers.
If a school bus driver witnesses a violation of the statute, the law requires the bus driver to report the violation, the vehicle color, license tag number, and the time and place of the violation to law enforcement within 24 hours. The law enforcement authority will issue a warning letter to the person whose name is registered on the vehicle. The warning letter is not recorded on the person’s driving record. The warning letter does not keep the driver from being fined if convicted of this offense, said Tulsa criminal defense attorney Stephen Cale.
FAILING TO STOP AND RENDER AID AFTER AN INJURY ACCIDENT
The law requires the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident involving injury or death to render “reasonable assistance” to any injured person in the accident. Reasonable assistance includes taking or making arrangements to transport the injured person to a doctor or hospital for medical treatment if it’s apparent that treatment is necessary or the injured person requests transportation. This can include calling 911 and requesting an ambulance.
If the driver could be cited for a traffic offense and the accident caused an immediate death or great bodily injury, then the driver must submit to a drug and alcohol test “as soon as practicable” after the accident happened. The law defines “great bodily injury” as “bone fracture, protracted and obvious disfigurement, protracted loss or impairment of the function of the body part, organ or mental faculty, or substantial risk of death,” said Tulsa criminal defense attorney Stephen Cale.
“GREAT BODILY INJURY” CAUSED BY NOT OBEYING TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE OR STOP SIGN
The Department of Public Safety will automatically revoke your driver’s license for one year if you’re convicted of causing great bodily injury to another person because you failed to obey a traffic control device or stop sign. A traffic control device includes not only signal lights or “stoplights,” but also pedestrian crossing signals. The law defines “great bodily injury” as “bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or which causes serious permanent disfigurement or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.”
CALL THE CALE LAW OFFICE
As you can see, convictions for traffic offenses, whether in a city court or county court, are serious. If you’ve been cited or charged with any of these offenses, call Tulsa criminal defense attorney Stephen Cale at 918-771-7314. Attorney Cale has nearly two decades of experience. Plus, his practice focuses on criminal defense. Attorney Cale also has experience with hearings before the Department of Public Safety.
If you’ve been cited or charged with a crime that requires revoking your driver’s license, attorney Cale will fight for you to keep your license. If your driver’s license has been revoked, he can seek to have the length of revocation shortened. Having a valid driver’s license is an important necessity. Driving without a valid driver’s license can put you at further risk of criminal prosecution. You also run the risk of having your driver’s license revoked for a longer period of time.
Hearings before the Department of Public Safety typically are conducted by phone. These are called administrative hearings. This is different than hearings in a municipal or county court. In the administrative proceeding, there is a recording of statements and testimony made by the participants. The record will also include exhibits admitted into evidence. Anyone who gets an unfavorable ruling at an administrative hearing can appeal to the District Court of the county where the alleged violation took place.
Deciding who to hire as an attorney can be confusing at times. But take a look at the testimonials of people who have used attorney Stephen Cale. These are real people who strongly recommend him. You can find these testimonials here.
Everyone deserves quality legal representation. That’s why you should call the Cale Law Office at 918-771-7314. Your initial consultation is free. Attorney Cale will also provide you with a free defense strategy plan document. This will help you understand what steps attorney Cale will take to defend you, and it will guide you through the legal process.