Por Agustina Troiano
En esta noticia
Washington, D.C.’s Department of Motor Vehicles uses a point system to penalize various traffic violations and warn drivers that they could lose their driving privileges. Among the behaviors covered is a specific maneuver involving a vehicle’s lights.
Regulation 18 DCMR 303.2 assigns 8 points to a driver’s license for those who turn off vehicle headlights in an effort to avoid being identified by a police officer. The measure is part of the district’s penalty system for recording violations committed by motorists.
Accumulating points can affect a driver’s license, including suspension or revocation.
When can 8 points be added to a driver’s license for turning off vehicle lights?
The rule in the point system says drivers will receive 8 points on their license when they turn off a vehicle’s headlights to avoid being identified by a police officer. The specific violation is described as “Turning off headlights of a vehicle to avoid identification by a police officer.”
This means the penalty does not apply to every situation in which a car is driven with its lights off, since the conduct covered is when the driver deliberately turns off the lights in order to avoid identification by authorities.
In this sense, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV) includes this violation in its official penalty table, along with other conduct that can add points to a driver’s record.
What happens when points add up on a driver’s license
The DC DMV system sets different consequences depending on how many points a driver accumulates over a two-year period. The 8 points for this violation can bring a driver closer to the threshold that triggers administrative penalties.
According to the agency:
- Between 10 and 11 points: the driver’s license is suspended for 90 days.
- 12 points or more: the license is revoked and the driver loses driving privileges until the DMV authorizes reinstatement. The agency sets a minimum waiting period of six months before an application can be filed.
Points remain on a driving record for two years. The DC DMV also says points can be assigned when a driver is found responsible at a hearing, pays the fine, which amounts to admitting responsibility, or fails to respond to the ticket within the required time.