Three ways to avoid a license suspension

Get caught driving on a suspended license in Maryland and you could go to jail for up to a year, pay a $1,000 fine and 12 points on your driving record - the same penalty for Driving Under the Influence of alcohol. Here are three ways to help make sure this doesn't happen to you.

1. Make sure you change your address with the MVA

The Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) is required by law to notify you of their intent to suspend your license before they do so.

That notice is sent to the address they have on record for you, so if they don't have your current address, you won't get that notice.

Why?

Because the Post Office will not forward the mail from the MVA to you (even if you submitted a change of address form with the Post Office).

When you move, make sure you change your address with the MVA (you have 30 days in which to do so).

2. If you get a ticket, make sure you comply with it

If you receive a ticket from a police officer in Maryland, you have 30 days in which to comply.

Failure to comply with the ticket and your license will be suspended.

I discussed the three ways you can comply with a citation in an earlier post.

3. Make sure the court has your correct address as well

Like the MVA, the court will send notices to the address on the citation.

The police officer enters the address that is on your drivers license (see #1 above).

Also like the MVA, the Post Office will not forward mail from the court.

4. If you request a trial for a waiver hearing, be sure to go