The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) recently announced that over 10,000 tickets were handed out between May 21 and June 3 during the annual “Click It or Ticket” campaign. Click It or Ticket is aimed at catching drivers and passengers who are not wearing a seat belts, a violation of North Carolina traffic law.
But, more than just people without seatbelts were ticketed at roadway checkpoints throughout the state. NCDOT reported that over 2,000 drivers were also charged with Driving While Impaired (DWI) at one of the 7,000+ checkpoints throughout the state. In addition, over 2,000 drug charges and over 10,000 other criminal violations were cited.
The program ended last week, but those who are facing criminal penalties, including drunk driving or drug charges, from the Click It or Ticket program should seek a criminal defense attorney to help minimize the penalties you may face if convicted.
In North Carolina, your driver’s license is suspended for 30 days automatically if you are arrested for drunk driving or if you refuse a breathalyzer test. After 10 days, you may be eligible for limited driving privileges for the remaining 20 days of your license suspension period that will allow you to drive to work, school, doctor’s appointments, and other designated places during certain hours of the day.
After a first-time DWI, you may be able to extend your limited driving privileges for up to a year. There is a one-year mandatory license suspension period for individuals convicted of drunk driving.
There are additional penalties that go along with a DWI conviction, including fines, court costs, and time in jail.
Source: NCDOT, “Transportation Secretary Conti Announces “Click It or Ticket” Yields 10,288 Safety Belt Violations,” June 8, 2012