When you get convicted of a traffic violation in Indiana, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles assesses a certain number of points against your Indiana driver’s license. How many points you get depends on the violation(s) for which you received a conviction.
For instance, speeding violation convictions result in the following number of points:
- Two points for driving 1-15 mph over the posted speed limit
- Four points for driving 16-25 mph over the posted speed limit
- Eight points for driving 26 or more mph over the posted speed limit
Sample point numbers for other traffic-related convictions include the following:
- Two points for failure to use your headlights at night
- Four points for making an improper U-turn or unsafe lane change
- Six points for failing to yield to an emergency vehicle or following any vehicle too closely
- Eight points for participating in a speed contest on any street or road
- Eight points for driving on a suspended driver’s license
Ultimate effect on your driver’s license
Indiana has a very liberal policy, far more so than most states, with regard to how many points you can accumulate before your driver’s license becomes suspended. But eventually those points do add up. For instance, if you accumulate 14-18 points, the BMV will send you a warning notice, 20 points will result in a one-month suspension, 30 points will result in a six-month suspension, and 42 points will result in a one-year suspension. In addition, the BMV can put you on administrative probation for 90-365 days depending on how many total points you have.
Driver Safety Program
Depending on how many traffic convictions you receive and how many points you consequently accumulate, the BMV or a judge may require you to take and complete a defensive driving course under Indiana’s Driver Safety Program. Most of these courses are available both online and in a classroom setting.
Actually, you can take any of the DSP courses voluntarily without the BMV or a judge forcing you to. However you wind up in a Driver Safety Program course, when you successfully complete it, you will get a four-point reduction in your total number of points.
