The State of Illinois prioritizes keeping dangerous drivers off of the road in order to decrease the risk of accidents and serious injuries. As such, when a person is arrested or convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), their driver’s license is typically suspended or revoked. However, Illinois also recognizes that losing one’s driving privileges can cause substantial hardship. If you have been arrested or convicted for DUI, you may still have options that allow you to drive, and an attorney can help you pursue them.

Illinois DUI Suspensions and Revocations

It is important to understand what actually happens to your driver’s license when you are arrested or convicted. Upon a DUI arrest, the officer will ask you to submit to a chemical test to determine the presence of alcohol in your body. If you fail the test with a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.08, your license will be subject to a statutory summary suspension of six months for a first offense. This suspension takes effect 45 days after you receive notice. If you refuse the test altogether, your license will be subject to suspension for one year.

In Illinois, speeding is a traffic violation that can have a variety of consequences depending on the extent to which a driver exceeds the posted speed limit. The majority of speeding tickets will result in fines of only a few hundred dollars at most, while aggravated speeding, defined as a situation in which a driver exceeds the posted limit by more than 25 miles per hour, is actually a criminal misdemeanor offense. However, speeding of any kind can also result in another consequence that you may not expect: the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license.

License Suspension Based on the Illinois Point System

In addition to any fines and other penalties assessed for a traffic violation, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office also operates a system in which each conviction for a traffic offense results in a certain number of points being added to the driver’s license. Many of these offenses involve speeding, and a more serious offense means a greater number of points assigned.

For example:

In Illinois, commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders are held to high standards in order to protect the safety of everyone on the road. A variety of violations can disqualify a person from obtaining a CDL, or result in the temporary or permanent revocation of a CDL. Given the importance of a CDL for a person’s livelihood, it is understandable that you would be concerned about the possibility of losing your license, especially if you are involved in an accident in which someone is injured.

What Happens When a CDL Holder Causes an Injury?

Getting in an accident is never a good situation. Setting aside the risk of serious injury to yourself,  you could also face serious consequences if you are found to be at fault for the crash. Depending on the circumstances leading to the collision, you and your employer could be liable for property damage and damages related to another person’s injuries. Your employer could also view an accident as grounds for termination if the crash was caused by your unsafe driving behavior.

That said, causing an accident and injuries is not itself grounds for disqualification of your commercial driver’s license. This means that in many cases, you could continue to drive for either your current employer or another employer even if you are found to be liable for a crash.

Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or other drugs is a serious criminal offense in Illinois, with any conviction resulting in a revoked driver’s license and a permanent criminal record. Typically, a first offense is considered a Class A misdemeanor, which can come with fines, probation, and some time in jail. However, in some cases, a first offense can be elevated to a charge of aggravated DUI, which can have much more serious consequences.

What Qualifies as Aggravated DUI in Illinois?

Drivers in Illinois can be charged with felony aggravated DUI, even for a first offense, for many different reasons. Most of these reasons are related to risking or causing harm to other people. Some common aggravated DUI offenses include: