CHARLOTTE, N.C. — WCNC Charlotte recently shared the heartbreaking story of a North Carolina father whose driver's license was suspended despite his son being the driver in a deadly crash.
The father had given his son his old car, but the son never got the title changed to his name and had a lapse in insurance. When the son died, his father was on the hook. Jake Twisdale eventually had to pay $20,000 to cover the other driver's injuries and damage to his truck. Eventually, Twisdale's license was suspended because he technically owned his son's car.
While this incident was specific and extreme, WCNC Charlotte's VERIFY team started looking into North Carolina's traffic laws and if the Tar Heel State is among the strictest states when it comes to suspending licenses.
THE QUESTION
Is North Carolina the strictest state in the Southeast when it comes to speeding and license suspensions?
THE ANSWER
Yes, North Carolina is the strictest state in the Southeast when it comes to speeding and license suspensions.
OUR SOURCES:
- License suspension laws for the seven states listed (North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida
- WalletHub
- The Driver License Compact
- Criminal defense attorney Timothy Pavone
"Driving is considered a privilege. It's a privilege to get your license when you are not entitled to drive," Pavone said. "All seven of the states we listed run on points systems when it comes to having your license suspended. A driver accumulates points for things like speeding, reckless driving, running through a stop sign and more."
Each state assigns specific points to each violation. If a driver accumulates a certain amount of points in a certain amount of time, determined by each state, they can have their license suspended.
While North Carolina operates under a points system, the state takes it one step further regarding speeding.
According to the North Carolina DMV, a driver's license will be suspended for at least 30 days if a driver is convicted of driving 15 miles per hour over the speed limit while in a 55 mph speed limit zone, or if you're driving at a speed greater than 80 mph anywhere.
"If you are paying a ticket over 75, I can almost guarantee you your license will be suspended," Pavone said. "I don't care if that is your first ticket."
This also applies if you get a speeding ticket in a different state.
North Carolina is one of 46 states in the Driver License Compact, in which member states exchange information regarding traffic violations. If the North Carolina DMV receives a report from one of the other 45 states that a North Carolina driver was speeding 15 miles or more in a 55 mph zone, it will mail that driver a letter explaining that their license will be suspended.
"It seems like we are harsher," Pavone said. "I'm only a North Carolina attorney, but it seems like we're harsher."
A WalletHub study found North Carolina is the seventh-strictest state when it comes to speeding. That's higher than any other state in the Southeast.
Contact Meghan Bragg at mbragg@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.