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After a recent speeding ticket I got a notice from the Registry of Motor Vehicle in Massachusetts saying I am a habitual traffic offender and will have my license suspended. What is this all about and how can I get it undone? I've never heard of anything like this and I'm wondering what I can do to fight it. Thanks you.

Habitual Traffic Offender.

Well, assuming you have had other violations, accidents or traffic related convictions over the last few months or years and that the notice is not an error, it is just what is sounds like: based on your driving record, you are being classified an a Habitual Traffic Offender.  See Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 90, Section 22F for more information about the law.

Generally speaking, the law in Massachusetts allows the Registry of Motor Vehicles to suspend a driver's licenses for varying amounts of time in response to an accumulation of certain specified driving offenses.  For example, you may have your license suspended for 30 days if you have received three speeding tickets in any 12 month period.  If you've piled up any five surchargeable events (typically defined as an at-fault accident or conviction of a moving violations) in any three year period, you will have your license suspended until you complete a driver retraining class. Any seven surchargeable events within a three year period will result in a suspension of 60 days.

And, for the grand prize, if you have had any combination of twelve moving violations or 3 major moving violations within any five year period, the RMV may classify you as a Habitual Traffic Offender and suspend your license for four years. 

In some cases, at the discretion of the RMV, you may be able to obtain a hardship license if certain criteria are met. (However, with the four year suspension, I believe the law requires you to serve at least one year of the suspension.)  Because these hardship licenses are discretionary, I would contact a Massachusetts driving law attorney when attempting to obtain one.  An experienced attorney will know her way around the application process and make sure you maximize your chances of getting a hardhip license.

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