Commercial transportation work is one of the best-paid blue-collar professions people can pursue in Florida. Individuals with certain additional training and a commercial driver’s license (CDL) can potentially command a six-figure salary operating a semi-truck.
Truckers are often paid so well, in part, because there are certain risks that come with a career in commercial transportation. Some people end up hurt on the job because of a collision or because of overexertion. Others may develop repetitive strain injuries after spending hours at the wheel most days of the week for several decades. Health issues that result from someone’s work as a driver could ultimately force them to look for another profession.
Other times, the risk is that someone could lose their CDL and suddenly be unable to continue working. While everyone recognizes how a ticket incurred while operating a commercial vehicle might affect their career as a driver, some people are not familiar with the rules about infractions in their personal vehicles and the potential for professional consequences.
Major violations can lead to the loss of a CDL
If there is one traffic infraction that people recognize could cost them their CDL regardless of where it occurs, it is probably a driving under the influence (DUI) charge. After all, impaired driving usually leads to a license suspension, along with fines and other criminal penalties imposed by a judge. What fewer people realize is that there are a range of other traffic violations that could also cost someone their CDL, even if they have a previously spotless driving record. Causing a crash where someone dies could be enough to lead to a driver losing their CDL.
Florida can also revoke a CDL if a commercial motorist causes a crash in their own vehicle and then flees the scene of the collision. If a motorist with a CDL refuses to perform a breath test, that could also make them ineligible for a CDL moving forward. Finally, there can be licensing consequences for too many traffic violations, like speeding, even if they occur in someone’s own vehicle and not a semi-truck.
Ultimately, fighting pending traffic violations or charges related to driving might help someone with a CDL preserve their profession and their income stream.
