How Does the Point System Actually Work?
Every conviction for a moving violation in Colorado adds a set number of points to a driver’s record, with more serious violations carrying higher point values. According to the Colorado General Assembly, the number of points needed to trigger a suspension, and the time period over which those points are counted, both depend on the driver’s age. Adult drivers face suspension at twelve points within twelve months or eighteen points within twenty-four months, while drivers under twenty-one face lower thresholds, and drivers under eighteen face the strictest limits of all.
A driver rarely realizes how quickly points accumulate until a suspension notice arrives, since several routine citations spread out over a couple of years can add up to the same total as one serious violation.
A Colorado Springs traffic ticket lawyer can pull a certified copy of a driving record to calculate exactly how close a client is to one of these thresholds before deciding how aggressively to contest a pending citation.
Does Fighting a Ticket Actually Help?
Contesting a ticket can matter far more than the fine amount alone suggests, since a conviction adds points that stay on a record for years and can trigger a suspension hearing long after the original stop is forgotten. Even a citation that seems minor, such as a modest speeding violation, can become the tipping point that pushes a driver over the suspension threshold if several other violations already appear on the record.
Negotiating a citation down to a lower-point violation, or securing a full dismissal, often protects a license even when paying the ticket outright would have felt like the easier short-term choice. Many drivers pay a ticket by mail without realizing that a guilty plea to the original charge locks in the full point value, closing off any chance to negotiate a lesser violation later.
What Happens at a Point Suspension Hearing?
A driver who crosses the point threshold receives notice and has the right to request a hearing before a DMV hearing officer rather than accept the suspension automatically. At this hearing, several outcomes are possible:
- The hearing officer reviews whether each underlying conviction was correctly counted against the record
- The driver may request a probationary license limited to work, school, or medical needs
- Mitigating circumstances, such as a clean record before recent violations, may support a reduced suspension
- The suspension can range from several months to a full year depending on the violations involved
Requesting this hearing within the deadline stated in the suspension notice is essential, since missing it typically means accepting the suspension as proposed.
Can Every Point Violation Be Negotiated?
Not every citation carries the same room for negotiation. Serious violations, including certain alcohol-related offenses or excessive speed, often come with mandatory point assignments that leave little flexibility, while more routine violations, such as a rolling stop or an equipment citation, tend to offer more realistic paths toward a reduced charge or dismissal. Even within a mandatory-point category, the specific facts of a stop, including the accuracy of the radar reading or the officer’s observations, can still open room for negotiation.
How Can Our Firm Help With a Pending Ticket?
Every driving record and every citation looks different. Christian A. Schwaner, P.C. DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer reviews a client’s full driving history alongside the pending citation to identify whether a negotiated reduction, a deferred judgment, or a full contest of the ticket offers the best path to protecting a license.
What Should You Do About a Pending Ticket?
Waiting until a suspension notice arrives is often too late to negotiate favorable terms on the citation that pushed a driver over the threshold. If you have a pending traffic citation, a Colorado Springs traffic ticket lawyer can review your driving record and point total.
Our office can outline your options before your court date arrives.
