Q: I violated Scott's Law by rear ending a salt truck while NOT under the influence. Will my license be suspended?
The roads were wet, but not icy. I was going 72 in a 70.
A:
Hello Asker,
It is possible. Scott's law is one of a few traffic violations referred to as immediate action offenses. These, unlike regular traffic tickets such as the accident ticket you likely received, can trigger a suspension with only one conviction for an offense. Whereas a regular moving violation requires multiple violations to trigger a suspension in most cases, only one scott's law violation can trigger a suspension.
With that said, you may be eligible for court supervision which would prevent the scott's law violation from suspending your license. Additionally, the prospect of amending the ticket to a different violation such as improper lane usage may well provide an escape from a license suspension.
Right now, I'm more concerned about the salt truck. Municipal and government vehicles tend to be extremely expensive and if your insurance may not cover the accident, you may be at risk for suspensions related to debts involving the accident. Because of this as well as the seriousness of a scott's law violation, I would recommend that you not go to court without an attorney. I would recommend calling attorney's in the area of your court location who are likely familiar with what can be realistically expected.
Lastly, please not the all statements here are made based upon the asusmption that you hold an Illinois driver's license. If you hold another state's license, please disregard my comments about the risk of damage to your license. Hope that helps and let us know if you have any additional questions.
Sincerely,
Jason A. Wilkins
Traffic Attorney
(630) 445-2293
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