June 3, 2015 Driving is considered a privilege, and a driver’s license may be suspended if a driver behaves in a dangerous or irresponsible manner. There are many reasons a license may be suspended, including leaving the scene of an accident, driving without liability coverage, driving under the influence, and failing to respond to a traffic summons. In Washington more than 300,000 drivers in 2011 had a suspended license due to failure to pay traffic tickets. Driving with a suspended license can have very serious consequences, including trouble with both the court system and the DMV. Penalty for Driving with a Suspended License In Washington, this crime is called driving with license suspended, or DWLS, and it is broken into three categories. The least serious of the three is called DWLS in the 3rd degree. This is a simple misdemeanor. While the maximum penalty is 90 days in jail, most people only receive additional fees. This can be a serious hardship that compounds the problem, as the most common reason for a suspended license is failure to pay traffic fines. A DWLS 2nd degree is more serious. This charge is a gross misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a fine of $5,000. Jail time is possible for people with a poor driving record. If convicted, this charge will carry an extra year of license suspension. The only way to avoid additional suspension time is getting the driver’s license reinstated at sentencing or having the judge make a recommendation. A 1st degree DWLS carries the highest penalty. This gross demeanor has a mandatory 10 days in jail for a first offense, 90 days in jail for a second offense, and 180 days for the third conviction. Habitual traffic offenders who have had their license suspended for seven years may be charged with DWLS 1st degree. Penalties for driving without a license can be even greater if the driver was also caught committing a major traffic violation, such as reckless driving. Contact an Experienced Attorney Driving with a suspended license is a serious charge with many possible ramifications. Those charged with DWLS should contact an attorney to minimize the penalties and attempt to have the driver’s license reinstated.