There are several rules for young drivers that are important to know as certain offenses and convictions by young drivers have a different impact then the same offenses and convictions by older drivers.

For instance, in advancing to the next stage of graduated licensing, a conviction of a moving violation will delay the ability to obtain a full or less restrictive license. Moreover, a teen driver will lose their license for 12 months or until they receive an eligibility certificate or high school diploma if they are suspended from school or have long term disciplinary action.

Lastly, a provisional licensed driver will lose his or her license for 30 days if they receive a second moving offense within 12 months of each other and will lose their license for 90 days for a third moving violation within 12 months of the first conviction.

This is more restrictive then the rules affecting a full license holder since only two speeding tickets over 55 mph in 12 months will revoke the license of a full license holder. The bottom line is that as a limited license holder you need to be a careful driver.

I previously wrote about the change in the DWLR system so that a conviction of a DWLR not involved an impaired revocation is no longer considered a moving violation.

See N.C.G.S. 20-28.1. As such, a DWLR conviction will not automatically cause a one year (or longer) suspension of one’s license privilege.

However, what recently came as a surprise to me, is that a conviction of DWLR actually causes 2 license points to be point on the license record.

Therefore, a DWLR can actually cause a license revocation if the DWLR conviction results in a person accumulating 12 points (or 9 points if previously revoked for points).

This is a quirky fact since one would not think that a “non-moving” violation would not cause any license points at all. As such, be careful when pleading to a DWLR non-impaired offense especially if you have license points already assessed in past 3 years.