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Reckless Driving in PA

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Jake448

Junior Member
I recently received a reckless driving citation in PA, while driving on a license from Alabama. I received a letter from PA saying that my "license is suspended for 6 months in Pennsylvania". I do not plan to drive in PA again, but was wondering how this will affect me back home? Are these driving records nationwide? I drive super carefully now of course. Also, how long will this charge stay on record (aka how long will I have to put it down on employment applications)?

Thank you in advance for the help.
 


asiny

Senior Member
I recently received a reckless driving citation in PA, while driving on a license from Alabama. I received a letter from PA saying that my "license is suspended for 6 months in Pennsylvania". I do not plan to drive in PA again, but was wondering how this will affect me back home? Are these driving records nationwide?
Alabama does participate in the DLC with Pennsylvania - which means that the your Alabama licence should also be suspended for 6 months.
Review what the DLC is;
Driver License Compact - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
or
Driver's Licenses FAQ - FindLaw
Also, how long will this charge stay on record (aka how long will I have to put it down on employment applications)?
Possibly 3 years, but you would need to contact the Alabama DPS for confirmation.
How long does a traffic violation stay on your?
According to the Alabama Driver's Manual and DPS various point amounts are assessed by the state for various moving violation convictions. It also is noted that after a traffic conviction is 2 years old, it loses its point count for suspension purposes but remains on a driver's record.

It does not state anywhere that violation are taken off your AL driving record after any certain period of time. We contacted a representative of the AL DPS who stated that a normal traffic conviction remains on a driver record for 3 years; however as we mentioned earlier it loses its point count for suspension purposes after two years.

Some convictions, such as DUIs, may stay on a driving record for a longer period of time but the DPS noted that it can vary from person to person on the time period depending upon the circumstances surrounding the DUI and its conviction.

If you have more questions about an Alabama driver history or how to check your own driving record, contact the the AL Department of Public Safety (DPS) directly.

Once Alabama removes most violations after 3 years from your driving record then your insurance company would not be able to see that offense any longer when they pull your motor vehicle record (MVR).
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
The DLC requires NO SUCH thing.

The DLC says that major offenses must be punished by the home state as if they were done there, so if you'd lose your license for reckless in Alabama and they choose to consider that a serious offense, then your license will be suspended. On your side, PA is notoriously slow posting convictions.
 

HighwayMan

Super Secret Senior Member
Alabama does participate in the DLC with Pennsylvania - which means that the your Alabama licence should also be suspended for 6 months.
Ridiculous. It means nothing of the sort. If the offense took place in PA it will affect your PA driving privilege.

If you fail to pay fines, etc. in PA then you may have a problem in other states.

Also be aware that you may forget about this in the near future and one day 10 years from now be driving through PA and get arrested for driving on a suspended license. Whatever the period of suspension is you may have to actually do something (like pay a fee) to get the suspension lifted at the appropriate time. Check with PA Motor Vehicles to be sure.
 

Jake448

Junior Member
First of all, thank you for the answers. I am very worried about this since Alabama actually would consider this a misdemeanor if they were to punish me as if its done in the home state. This would be horrible for my record and applying for jobs in the future. But until the home state sends me a letter regarding this, I am only restricted from driving in PA, is that right?

FlyingRon, may I ask what kind of background you have with this? The reason I ask is because your answer got me very very worried. Also, when you say "slow about posting convictions", how slow are we talking about? can i get a letter in the mail a year later saying that my license is suspended in AL or that I now have a misdemeanor? I've had plenty of sleepless nights because of this already, I'd hate for it to drag on for a long time.
 
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HighwayMan

Super Secret Senior Member
There is a difference between a license and a privilege. If you have an Alabama license then your privilege to drive in Pennsylvania is suspended. If you have a Pennsylvania license then you cannot drive anywhere unless you get a license from another state.

You never answered the question about where you are licensed - now and when the offense took place.

The incident took place in Pennsylvania - that is where the punishment is meted out. I see no reason why this would affect your Alabama license. If your Alabama license was to get suspended you should be notified by mail. Make sure Alabama DMV (or whatever it's called there) is notified of your address changes if you move. That is probably required in most, if not all, states but alot of people forget to make this notification and end up in all kinds of trouble because they didn't get an important piece of mail.
 

asiny

Senior Member
The incident took place in Pennsylvania - that is where the punishment is meted out. I see no reason why this would affect your Alabama license. If your Alabama license was to get suspended you should be notified by mail. Make sure Alabama DMV (or whatever it's called there) is notified of your address changes if you move. That is probably required in most, if not all, states but alot of people forget to make this notification and end up in all kinds of trouble because they didn't get an important piece of mail.
Can someone explain what the DLC is then? Isn't this situation EXACTLY what they intended it for?

If you are caught recklessly driving and guilty in another state- who impose a licence suspension- that this 'should' apply to your home state and license.

Otherwise I am reading everything being written as double-talk;
The DLC requires NO SUCH thing.
Requires no such thing of what?
The DLC says that major offenses must be punished by the home state as if they were done there, so if you'd lose your license for reckless in Alabama and they choose to consider that a serious offense, then your license will be suspended. On your side, PA is notoriously slow posting convictions.
Isn't that what I said the DLC is in place for? But am now questioning because you give dual-answers for-and-against what the DLC actual is used for.
Ridiculous. It means nothing of the sort. If the offense took place in PA it will affect your PA driving privilege.
Ok. So you are saying that being suspended in PA means that he cannot drive in PA, but is fine in Alabama?
If you fail to pay fines, etc. in PA then you may have a problem in other states.
It does seem, from what the OP posted- or the OP is mistaken- that this is exactly what has happened;
I recently received a reckless driving citation in PA, while driving on a license from Alabama. I received a letter from PA saying that my "license is suspended for 6 months in Pennsylvania".
OP.. if you received a citation- what happened when you went to court? What is the court date? Did you appear? Did you plea? Did you not pay?
 

Jake448

Junior Member
Ok, let me clarify a couple things. I had a seemingly minor, but important mistake in the original post since my letter said that my driving privilege is suspended in Pennsylvania, NOT my license specifically. I have an Alabama license right now.

As far as the timeframe when the offense took place. I received the citation on August 31st, had the ticket paid and convicted on Sept. 12th and received a letter regarding the suspension Sept. 29th. I had not known about the suspension, thus did not fight the ticket. Now I have to go to appeals court if I want to fight it, which would involve spending roughly $2500 on a lawyer, paying court fees, flying up to PA and requesting a day off work. From what lawyers told me, getting it reduced in the appeals court will probably not be easy at this point.
 

asiny

Senior Member
Ok, let me clarify a couple things. I had a seemingly minor, but important mistake in the original post since my letter said that my driving privilege is suspended in Pennsylvania, NOT my license specifically. I have an Alabama license right now.

As far as the timeframe when the offense took place. I received the citation on August 31st, had the ticket paid and convicted on Sept. 12th and received a letter regarding the suspension Sept. 29th. I had not known about the suspension, thus did not fight the ticket. Now I have to go to appeals court if I want to fight it, which would involve spending roughly $2500 on a lawyer, paying court fees, flying up to PA and requesting a day off work. From what lawyers told me, getting it reduced in the appeals court will probably not be easy at this point.
With this clarification- I defer to HighwayMan's last posting regarding;
....a difference between a license and a privilege.
But still wonder if your privilege to drive in PA is suspended- how that would relate to the DLC and Alabama.
Wouldn't a privilege to drive in PA as suspended (with a PA licence, would this be a licence suspension?) dominoe as a licence suspension in the home state following DLC?
 

HighwayMan

Super Secret Senior Member
DLC doesn't seem to force states to do anything.

I have never seen a suspended privilege in another state result in a home license being suspended.
 

asiny

Senior Member
DLC doesn't seem to force states to do anything.
Now I understand. I did not say the DLC force anything, I was saying that Pennsylvania and Alabama are members of the DLC meaning that yes, with PA filing a suspension (which 'should' be filed with the DLC) then Alabama 'should' also suspend your licence- if they were to follow what being a member of the DLC guidelines imply.

Sorry for any misunderstanding you may have gotten about my interpretation of the DLC.
I have never seen a suspended privilege in another state result in a home license being suspended.
Just because you have never seen it, does not mean that is what the meaning behind the DLC was meant to do.
 

Jake448

Junior Member
Again, I really appreciate the feedback guys, I am going to drive very carefully and hope for the best. I'll also be sure to come back here in a few months and provide an update on how the situation turned out so that others have a reference.
 

asiny

Senior Member
I never said that. If I understand what you wrote - it's not too clear.
I read that you were referring to a licence suspension in another state and not seeing it affect in a home state- if the home state is a member of the DLC, right?

Or were you just saying that if a licence is suspended in another state- it won't affect the home state, period?
 

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