North Carolina Driving Record
Driving is a legal privilege and responsibility. It is against the law to drive a motor vehicle on streets and highways without a valid driver license. It is also illegal to sit in the driver's seat of a motor vehicle while the engine is running or to steer a motor vehicle while it is being pushed or towed by another vehicle if you do not have a valid driver license.
North Carolina Drunk Driving
In 1983, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted the Safe Roads Act. This act repealed all previous laws on drunk driving in North Carolina and replaced them with a single offense of "Driving While Impaired - DWI."
If an officer charges you with driving while impaired (DWI), you will be asked to take a chemical test of your breath or blood. Refusal to perform any required test will result in the immediate revocation of your driver license for at least 30 days and an additional, minimum 12-month revocation by the DMV. In certain instances, after six months of the willful refusal revocation has elapsed, the judge may issue a limited driving privilege.
If your intoxication test shows an alcohol concentration of 0.08 percent or more (0.04 or more, if you are driving a commercial motor vehicle), your driving privilege will be revoked immediately for a minimum of 30 days. Additionally, the results of your chemical test or the fact that you refused to take the test will be admissible as evidence in court.
DUI Laws
- allow enforcement agencies to set up road blocks to check for impaired drivers
- prohibit drivers from consuming any alcoholic beverage, including beer, while driving;
- rohibit the transport of an open container of any alcoholic beverage if the driver is consuming alcohol or if alcohol is in the driver's body;
- prohibit the possession of alcoholic beverages (open or closed) in the passenger area of a commercial motor vehicle while upon any highway, street or public vehicular area;
- provide for different levels of severity of punishment based on the severity of the offense;
- require persons who are convicted of DWI for the second time to serve a jail sentence;
- attempt to punish DWI offenders, but also try to help them deal with problems they may have with alcohol;
- require that repeat DWI offenders or persons with high blood/alcohol contents (BACs) be checked to see if they might have an alcohol problem;
- require persons with lower BACs to attend alcohol safety schools; and
- require anyone convicted of DWI to obtain a substance abuse assessment prior to the reinstatement of driving privileges.
North Carolina Point System
If you are convicted of certain motor vehicle violations in North Carolina, driver license points are placed against your driving record. If you accumulate seven points, you may be assigned to a Driver Improvement Clinic. The clinic fee is $50. Upon satisfactory completion of the clinic, three points are deducted from your driving record. If you accumulate as many as twelve points within a three-year period, your license may be suspended. The accumulation of eight points within three years following the reinstatement of your license can result in a second suspension.
| Points | Type of Violation |
|---|
| 5 | Passing a stopped school bus loading or unloading children |
| 5 | Aggressive driving |
| 4 | Reckless driving |
| 4 | Hit and run, property damage only |
| 4 | Following too closely |
| 4 | Driving on wrong side of road |
| 4 | Illegal passing |
| 4 | Failure to yield right-of-way to pedestrian pursuant to GS 20-158(b)(2)b. |
| 4 | Failure to yield right-of-way to bicycle motor scooter, or motorcycle |
| 3 | Running through stop sign |
| 3 | Speeding more than 55 mph |
| 3 | Speeding through a school zone |
| 3 | Failure to yield right of way |
| 3 | No driver license or license expired more than one year |
| 3 | Running through red light |
| 3 | Failure to stop for siren |
| 3 | Speeding through safety zone |
| 3 | Failure to report accident where such report is required |
| 3 | No liability insurance |
| 2 | All other moving violations |
| 1 | Littering involving a motor vehicle |
Commercial Point System
Schedule of point values for conviction of violations while operating a commercial motor vehicle:
| Points | Type of Violation |
|---|
| 8 | Passing a stopped school bus loading or unloading children |
| 6 | Rail-highway crossing violation |
| 6 | Careless and Reckless driving in violation of G.S. 20-140(f) |
| 6 | Speeding in violation of G. S. 20-141(j3) |
| 6 | Aggressive driving |
| 5 | Reckless driving |
| 5 | Hit and run, property damage only |
| 5 | Following too closely |
| 5 | Driving on wrong side of road |
| 5 | Illegal passing |
| 5 | Failure to yield right-of-way to pedestrian pursuant to G. S. 20-158(b)(2)b. |
| 5 | Failure to yield right-of-way to bicycle motor scooter, or motorcycle |
| 4 | Running through stop sign |
| 4 | Speeding more than 55 mph |
| 4 | Speeding through a school zone |
| 4 | Failure to yield right of way |
| 4 | No driver license or license expired more than one year |
| 4 | Running through red light |
| 4 | Failure to stop for siren |
| 4 | Driving through safety zone |
| 4 | Failure to report accident where such report is required |
| 3 | Possessing alcoholic beverage in the passenger area of a commercial motor vehicle |
| 3 | All other moving violations |
| 1 | Littering involving a motor vehicle |
Additional North Carolina Resources
North Carolina County Coverage
North Carolina City Coverage
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