Can Minors Have Their Licenses Suspended?

When it comes to teenage traffic laws, strict guidelines are in place to prevent accidents and encourage your teen’s obedience. These rules are necessary, as evidenced by the studies reported by the State of California Department of Motor Vehicles which claims that the highest rates of injury, collision and traffic conviction belong to drivers between the ages of 15 and 19. Even though these drivers only travel half as many miles as adults, they are twice as likely to end up in a collision.

Injury risks are three times higher for those under 18 and fatal crash rates are two and a half times higher than the average. Citations during the first year of driving for this group also sit at just under 50 percent. With all these factors indicating the danger that teen drivers pose on the roads, you may wonder what is being done to prevent accidents to young drivers as well as all motorists on the road.

State laws warn that if your teenage driver has two “at fault” collisions or convictions in 12 months, his or her license could be suspended for 30 days. A third incident within the 12-month period will lead to a six-month suspension and one year probation. If your teen receives a traffic citation and does not pay the fine or show up in court, his or her license may be suspended until those steps are completed.

There are also several actions unrelated to driving that can result in a license suspension. If you have a teen between the ages of 13 and 21 years old who is convicted of using controlled substances or alcohol, his or her license suspended or delayed for one year. Being labeled a habitual truant can also mean a one year delay, revocation, restriction or suspension of his or her license. This information should not be taken as legal advice.