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When you’re pulled over by police in a car and you don’t have a valid driver’s licence, you could face serious consequences. You can face fines or imprisonment, depending on why you don’t have a valid licence. There are several reasons why you could be disqualified from driving and your licence suspended.
Reasons for Licence Suspension
In South Australia, your driver’s licence can be disqualified, suspended, or cancelled if you commit driving offenses such as drink driving or excessive speeding. However, having your licence disqualified is usually the first action that is taken when you commit driving offences because it is reversible. A licence suspension can be indefinite.
One of the more common reasons for a licence suspension is the non-payment of fines. If you have driving offences, such as speeding, that you haven’t paid for, then your licence can be suspended indefinitely until they are paid. Once they are paid, then you can arrange to regain your driving privileges.
Driving on Suspended Licence
It is a serious offence to be caught driving without a licence whether it is disqualified, it has been suspended, or you just don’t have one. If you’re driving while suspended in Adelaide, then you could face a penalty of six months in prison for the first offence. If you’re caught driving on a suspended licence a second time, then you could face imprisonment for two years.
The non-payment of fines alone will not earn you these penalties but if your licence is suspended or disqualified for other reasons, then these penalties would apply. Other reasons for your licence to be suspended include speeding over 25km/h, suspension on site after being caught drink driving, or accumulating a certain number of demerit points.
Other Reasons for Suspension
Usually, accumulating 12 or more demerit points within three years if you have a full licence or four or more demerit points if you have a learner’s permit or a provisional licence will get your licence suspended. If you lose your licence for one of these offences, then you will need to pay fines and apply to have it reinstated.
If you get your licence back, then there will be conditions that allow you to drive. However, if you earn further demerit points, then your licence could be disqualified again with no right to appeal. If you are caught drink driving and your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is between 0.08 and 0.149, you will immediately lose your licence for six months.
If your BAC is 0.15 or more, your licence will be suspended for 12 months. People caught speeding excessively can have their licences suspended on the spot for six months. If you feel that the penalties are excessive, you can hire a solicitor to file an appeal to get your licence back.
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