Hi everyone, thank you in advance for your help and time!
Okay, so here's the story. I got a speeding ticket in february. I forgot to pay this speeding ticket, which resulted in my drivers license being suspended. I then moved to a different city and didn't officially change my address on my drivers license, so I wasn't getting the notices reminding me to pay, etc (my fault, I know). So then, I get pulled over for "driving left of center" when the cop informs me that my license was suspended for this unpaid speeding ticket. The police officer then impounds my car, handcuffs me, puts me in the back of the cop car, takes me to the police station where my pictures are taken and I am fingerprinted. Then I called my parents, who came and got me and paid 100.00 dollars bond money.
I paid the speeding ticket and license reinstatement fee the very next morning. I confirmed with the secretary of state that my license was reinstated, and officially changed my address. I sent a letter via certified mail to the prosecutor explaining the situation and apologizing for my actions.
I had an appearance date, where I pled "not guilty" to the driving while license suspended charge.
I then went to pretrial, where I met with a substitute prosecutor, who did two things. He dismissed the "driving left of center" civil infraction. He also reduced the "driving under suspended license charge" to "driving without license on person" charge. I accepted that.
What concerns me? The "Driving without license on person" charge is also a misdemeanor. the prosecutor said it was a traffic misdemeanor, which meant that it would NOT show up on my criminal background check, but would show up on my driving record.
I am confused. Does this mean that I do not have to report it? I want to become a nurse. Nursing schools run criminal background checks, they don't run your driving record. So would I be obligated to report this? Or no?
How bad is this? Please help! I have NOTHING else on my record (criminal) or on my driving record, just other speeding tickets and a ticket for having my high beam on....nothing else.
Any information would be greatly appreciated. If i am NOT obligated to report this to nursing schools, I would be so thankful.
Yeah, Georgia is really strict about that! They will handcuff you, lock you up and throw away the key for allowing an unpaid ticket to cause your license to be suspended! Yet they let those with DUIs retain their license until strike 3...go figure.
Yeah driving with a suspended license is a misdemeanor traffic offense, unless it's suspended due to DUI, then it's a criminal offense where you can be sentenced for up to 10 days in jail. I only know because my boyfriend is an idiot. This is in Florida anyway.
In Texas, minor traffic offenses don't have to be reported to the BON. However, you may get fined twice. The first time is when you pay for the ticket. The second time is a couple of years later when you go to renew your license. You get "points" assessed for moving violations. A friend of mine went to renew his license recently and they said, "That will be $575, please". Quite a shock.
On second thought, you get fined three times. The third is when they jack up your insurance rates.
I worked with a nun who was also an RN who had so many speeding tickets we called her the "flying nun" and to the best of knowledge never had problems with the Nursing Board with her license.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
hi everyone, thank you in advance for your help and time!
okay, so here's the story. i got a speeding ticket in february. i forgot to pay this speeding ticket, which resulted in my drivers license being suspended. i then moved to a different city and didn't officially change my address on my drivers license, so i wasn't getting the notices reminding me to pay, etc (my fault, i know). so then, i get pulled over for "driving left of center" when the cop informs me that my license was suspended for this unpaid speeding ticket. the police officer then impounds my car, handcuffs me, puts me in the back of the cop car, takes me to the police station where my pictures are taken and i am fingerprinted. then i called my parents, who came and got me and paid 100.00 dollars bond money.
i paid the speeding ticket and license reinstatement fee the very next morning. i confirmed with the secretary of state that my license was reinstated, and officially changed my address. i sent a letter via certified mail to the prosecutor explaining the situation and apologizing for my actions.
i had an appearance date, where i pled "not guilty" to the driving while license suspended charge.
i then went to pretrial, where i met with a substitute prosecutor, who did two things. he dismissed the "driving left of center" civil infraction. he also reduced the "driving under suspended license charge" to "driving without license on person" charge. i accepted that.
what concerns me? the "driving without license on person" charge is also a misdemeanor. the prosecutor said it was a traffic misdemeanor, which meant that it would not show up on my criminal background check, but would show up on my driving record.
i am confused. does this mean that i do not have to report it? i want to become a nurse. nursing schools run criminal background checks, they don't run your driving record. so would i be obligated to report this? or no?
how bad is this? please help! i have nothing else on my record (criminal) or on my driving record, just other speeding tickets and a ticket for having my high beam on....nothing else.
any information would be greatly appreciated. if i am not obligated to report this to nursing schools, i would be so thankful.
let me see -- you get a speeding ticket, which you "forgot" to pay. then you move without leaving a forwarding address, so essentially you're ignoring all your reminders to pay your speeding ticket. so they suspend your license. then you drive on the wrong side of the road and get pulled over again. because you're driving without a license, they arrest you an impound your car. and you have nothing else on your record? i may be terminally middle class, middle aged and midwestern, but that sounds like a whole lot of something to me. it demonstrates, at the very least, criminal (or terminal, depending upon your outlook) irresponsibility. it demonstrates bad driving as well. driving is a priveledge, not a right -- sounds as if you may learn that the hard way.
report it -- you'll get in less trouble for being honest than you will be if they discover it some other way.
To the original poster - I think you see just exactly WHY we don't answer legal questions. COntact your state board of nursing for the definitive answer.
Same in Ga. If you r caught driving on a suspended license you will be arrested.
Many states are this way - if you are driving on a suspended or revoked license you will be placed under arrest. It's considered to be a big deal in most places.
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and to the best of knowledge never had problems with the Nursing Board with her license.
NeecyBSN_RN
45 Posts
Yeah, Georgia is really strict about that! They will handcuff you, lock you up and throw away the key for allowing an unpaid ticket to cause your license to be suspended! Yet they let those with DUIs retain their license until strike 3...go figure.