Habitual Offenders Laws in Loveland
In Loveland, drivers with a history of committing traffic violations or offenses are identified as habitual offenders. The law requires that an individual’s license to drive be revoked as soon as that driver is identified as a habitual traffic offender. Further, habitual offenders who drive while their license is revoked can be charged with a class 1 misdemeanor, which carries a sentence of up to 18 months in jail.
Individuals labeled as habitual offenders include those who have accumulated three or more convictions within seven years for such offenses as reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, driving under the influence (DUI), and vehicular assault or homicide, including criminally negligent homicide. Habitual traffic offenders also include individuals with ten or more convictions for moving violations within five years, in which each violation resulted in four or more points being assessed on the driving record. Alternatively, 18 or more convictions within five years for moving violations that provided for an assessment of no more than three points each on the driving record can also cause a driver to be recognized as a habitual offender.
Other Traffic Offenses and Sanctions in Loveland
The vehicles and traffic title of the Colorado Revised Statutes outlines several other traffic infractions, violations, and offenses beyond speeding. Examples of other traffic offenses include:
- Driving with a suspended license
- Driving while ability impaired (DWAI)
- Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Leaving the scene of an accident
- Evading a police officer
- Reckless driving
The sanctions for some traffic offenses, such as reckless driving, can include time in jail. For example, a person could serve up to six months in jail for reckless driving when there is at least one prior conviction.
The maximum penalties that can be imposed for a first DUI conviction include a one-year jail sentence, a $1,000 fine, 96 hours of community service, and up to two years on probation. A seasoned lawyer who knows traffic laws in Loveland could explain the sanctions for other traffic-related offenses.
