Most people break the law every single day they get behind the wheel. Traffic violations are incredibly common. Some may believe that the law is not harsh enough on people which is why infractions, such as speeding, are so common.
However, Indiana has a Habitual Traffic Violator designation that could help with repeat offenders. The Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles defines a Habitual Traffic Violator as someone with repeat traffic offenses within a 10-year period.
Qualifications
To gain the label of an HTV, a person must have multiple offenses within 10 years with at least two resulting in injury or death. Once a person becomes an HTV, criminal penalities apply. The 10-year period runs consecutively and all offenses must occur during this time to qualify for the HTV designation.
Penalties
HTV designation results in a 10-year license suspension if a person has two major violations. However, if a person’s offenses include driving under the influence that leads to a fatality or the person had a blood alcohol level of .08% or more that led to a fatality, then driving privledge suspension extends for life.
Another situation
The HTV designation is also possible for someone with nine violations in 10 years if one of those violations is a DUI or driving while under suspension. A five-year license suspension applies in this situation.
The HTV designation can serve as a deterrence for those who continually violate traffic laws. It is a criminal offense that will result in the loss of driving privileges. The court has the final say on penalities associated with this designation, and any sentence is in addition to the penalties from the offense that triggered the HTV label.