‘Tis the Season for Giving

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is prevalent this time of year. It’s the time of year when more people are out on the road traveling to and from holiday parties and family gatherings. More time on the road, means more opportunities for traffic violations to happen. And, with the Missouri point system, traffic violations can lead to points on your license. 

While not everyone sees traveling for the holidays in that way — we do. With over 25 years of experience handling moving violations and criminal defense cases, Kitchin Law Firm knows firsthand just how busy this time of year can get. Whether it’s a speeding ticket on your way to Thanksgiving dinner, or getting a DUI/DWI charge leaving a holiday party. We’ve seen it all, which means we can help you navigate this difficult situation.

Need help figuring out next steps for your traffic violation, or have specific questions about getting points removed off of your license? Contact Kitchin Law Firm for a free consultation. 

MISSOURI POINT SYSTEM

If you receive a traffic ticket for a moving violation in Missouri, it’s important to know how the Missouri point system works, as well as the ways your driving record and license could be affected. 

Every type of moving violation has a set amount of points that can accumulate on your record. If you accumulate up to 4 points within a 12 month time frame, you can expect to be sent a point accumulation advisory letter from the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR). 

Quick tip. Points can accumulate fast. We highly recommend checking and knowing the status of your driving  record, that way you can take the necessary precautions to protect your privileges. 

Consequences for point accumulation: 

• Driver’s license suspension (if you accumulate 8 or more points in 18 months):
  • 1st suspension — 30 days.
  • 2nd suspension — 60 days.
  • 3rd suspension — 90 days.

• Driver’s license revocation for 1 year:
  • 12 or more points in  12 months.
  • 18 or more points in 24 months.
  • 24 or more points in 36 months.

What you need to know about violations: 

Unfortunately, it can take some time to see violations removed from your driving record. Moving violations are subject to stay on your record for up to three years after you pay your Missouri traffic ticket, unless you take further action. Under some conditions, it could take longer: 

• If your license was suspended or revoked, it could take up to 5 years
• If you fail to maintain your insurance, the violation will be on there permanently

Determining the amount of points you receive on your record is based on by the severity of the violation. You can check out the DOR for more information about tickets and points in Missouri. 

3 STEPS For Point Removal

In Missouri, the removal of points will gradually start happening overtime. For every year you go without receiving a moving violation, points will be taken off your record until they are fully removed. 

There’s no “quick fix” solution that guarantees points will be removed from your license in a certain time frame. But, there are a few practical steps you can take to speed up the process, and help prevent more points from being added over time. 

1.  Be mindful of your record and avoid receiving a moving violation. This mind sound self-explanatory, but the less points… the better. Like we mentioned before, for every year you go without a violation, you’ll slowly see points drop from your record. It takes some extra precaution, but it’s worth it to have a clean record and protect your driving privileges.

 2.  Go through the Driver Improvement Program (DIP). To expedite the process of getting points removed from your license, you have the option to complete the DIP driving course if you receive your ticket from a trooper of the Missouri Highway patrol. This option helps you avoid the accumulation of points on your license from your traffic ticket, but it does not prevent a conviction from being recorded on your driving record.

3.  Contact an experienced traffic attorney. If you have questions about how to get points removed, or are looking to contest a traffic ticket — it’s never a bad idea to reach out to an experienced traffic attorney. An attorney can help you understand your traffic violation, provide you with insight for next steps, and work to protect rights and keep your driving record clean. 

Contact kitchin Law Firm

Looking for an experienced Missouri traffic ticket lawyer to defend your case? John Kitchin can help. Call 913-558-6739 to schedule your free consultation today!