The state of Tennessee could suspend your driver’s license for a broad range of reasons. Maybe you have unpaid fines, or perhaps you had an alcohol-related driving infraction. However, just because the state suspended your license, that doesn’t mean that your need for transportation miraculously disappeared.
If you can’t afford paid ride services and don’t have people who can provide you with transportation, you may feel like you have no choice but to keep driving even without your license. What consequences could you potentially face if you get pulled over while driving on a suspended license?
Driving on a suspended license is a criminal offense – not a traffic violation.
Most driving offenses are civil infractions that result in a ticket and not a criminal charge. However, driving on a suspended license will result in criminal consequences, not just a citation and a fine.
If police officers catch you driving while your license is suspended, they can charge you with a Class B misdemeanor offense. The penalties you could face may include up to six months of incarceration and a fine of $500. In certain situations, like repeat offenses or a serious driving infraction, the charge might become a Class A misdemeanor. That increased charge means that penalties increase too, with a year in jail and a fine of up to $2,500 possible.
You have the right to a defense, even if the charge is related to a motor vehicle incident. By presenting a defense, possibly by questioning the legitimacy of the traffic stop, you may be able to reduce the impact of this situation on the rest of your life.