Following a drunk driving arrest in Minnesota, you may face criminal penalties such as jail time and fines. However, chances are you will also face administrative sanctions, including the suspension of your driving privileges for a period of time, particularly if you fail or refuse the breath or other chemical test at the station after a DWI arrest. Depending on the circumstances of your case, and after a certain waiting period, you may be able to qualify for a limited license to drive to work, school, or to your doctor. But if you decide to drive before obtaining a limited license, or drive despite the fact that you will not or do not qualify for a limited license, you can face serious criminal consequences.
Consequences for Driving after Cancellation or Revocation in Minnesota
In Minnesota, driving after license revocation, or DAR, is considered a misdemeanor, and a conviction can result in up to ninety days in jail and a fine of $1,000. Additionally, a DAR conviction can cause you to automatically lose your driver’s license for at least thirty days. Minnesota law also prohibits the separate but similar offense of driving after cancellation. Oftentimes, a third or subsequent DWI offense can result in the cancellation of your driver’s license. Cancellation of your driving privileges is basically for an indefinite time period, but you may apply to have your license reinstated if you meet certain requirements, such as being able to prove that you have abstained from alcohol for at least one year. After cancellation of your license, you cannot qualify for a limited license. Driving after cancellation in Minnesota, or DAC, can be considered a misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor depending on the reason for your license cancellation. For example, if your license was cancelled because you were deemed inimical to public safety due to too many DWI convictions, you will likely be charged with a gross misdemeanor. A gross misdemeanor conviction can result in up to a year in jail, and a fine of $3,000. Like DAR, if you are convicted for DAC, you can also lose your driving privileges for at least thirty days. The penalties can be even more severe for DAR or DAC depending on the facts and circumstances of your case.
Many Minnesota Drivers That Are Sharing The Road With You Do Not Have Valid Driver’s Licenses
In Minnesota, from 2008 to 2013, approximately 310,000 criminal convictions were for violations related to driving without a valid license. Of course this large number of convictions is not just related to those who were caught driving after having their license revoked or cancelled due to driving while intoxicated. Instead, these convictions include those who were caught driving after their driving privileges where suspended for committing other crimes or even civil offenses, those who had learner’s permit violations, and those who were caught driving with no driver’s license whatsoever. Minnesota court records also indicate that there are thousands of repeat offenders, meaning drivers who have been convicted more than twice of some type of driver’s license violation.
Although these statistics reveal that many offenders are caught driving without a valid license, a significant number of Minnesota’s drivers are determined to keep driving despite the fact that they do not have valid driver’s licenses. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, about one in eight Minnesota drivers do not have valid driving privileges for one reason or another. Accordingly, it is essential to your own safety to drive defensively and attentively because you never know who you are sharing the road with. If you are the one driving after license revocation or cancellation, be sure to think twice before getting behind the wheel as you can face serious criminal consequences, especially if you cause or contribute to an accident.
Minnesota Driving after Cancellation or Revocation Attorney
If you or someone you know has been arrested and charged with driving after revocation or driving after cancellation, it is important that you consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney right away. Attorney Douglas Kans and his defense team can review the facts and evidence in your DAR or DAC case, advise you of your rights and responsibilities, and help you determine your chance for a successful outcome in your case. Call the Kans Law Firm, LLC toll free at 1-888-972-6060, or contact us online, and schedule your free case review today.
