Truck drivers can be arrested for many reasons. You might have failed to notice a crucial road sign, or you were driving under the influence. The first thing that’ll come to your mind is to find trucking attorneys. Whichever reason you got charged, you should know how best to handle the situation.
In this piece, we’ve shared important legal tips for truck drivers
Table of Contents
Get a Ride Home
In some places, you’ll be instantly released from jail after being charged. Also, in some cases, even if someone pays your bail, you’ll have to spend a night in jail, depending on the mistake you made on the road.
Regardless of the situation, it helps to find someone to take you home. That’s because your license will be suspended as soon as the police file a report against you. You shouldn’t land yourself in trouble by riding yourself home after being charged.
Get Ready for DMV Hearing
From the time you were arrested, you have a few days. If the days elapse before you make such arrangements, you shall not have any more chances. In most cases, you’ll have a maximum of ten days, including public holidays and weekends. It’s this hearing that’ll determine whether your driver’s license will be suspended further or not.
But, if your attorney fails to request a DMV hearing, your license will be suspended until further notice.
Gather Possible Evidence
Though it’s okay to gather a few witnesses, you also went to have enough evidence. If you check carefully, you’ll find some evidence that you can use in your case. For instance, if you were close to a restaurant, an eatery, or a park, some individuals might have witnessed what happened.
Aside from that, consider writing down everything that happened before the police came, when you got charged, and the time you left the jail. Make sure your records are as accurate as possible.
Find a Lawyer
Even if you know you were not on the wrong side of the law, do not argue with the police. You can find trucking attorneys within your location and explain to them what happened. Do not hesitate to give them facts since they’ll use the same to handle your case.
Note that most of them will give you fee-free consultation when you approach them for the first time. However, you want to be sure that they have enough experience, including your insurance details.
Get Ready for Court Appearance
How bad do you think your case is? Even if it’s a misdemeanor, you still need to get ready to appear in court. Based on how you intend to plead, there’re a few things that will be needed of you. For instance, if you intend to plead guilty, appear neat and carry any documents the court requests from you.
But, if you intend to plead not guilty, you’ll need even more preparation to make, but your lawyer can help you with that.
Closing Thoughts
As a truck driver, you don’t have to panic when police ask you to pull over because you made some mistakes on the road.
Instead, stay calm and listen to what they have to say. Even if they take you to jail, start following the steps above once you are released.