Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Tennessee traffic citation attorneys help CDL holders from across the nation with their speeding and moving violations committed in East Tennessee. Our attorneys understand that today’s truckers in America are heavily regulated at both the federal and state level. These regulations may be confusing, especially since CDL holders travel throughout so many jurisdictions with different rules.

The state and federal legislature regulate the trucking industry heavily for safety reasons. If the vehicle needs a CDL driver to be legal, it is either heavy or transporting something dangerous. It is important that the drivers of these types of vehicles be cautious drivers. The heavier the vehicle, the more dangerous any accident might be.

Federal law mandates that a person must have a CDL to operate any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more. In addition, a driver must have his CDL if a trailer with a GVWR of more than 10,000 pounds if the gross combination weight rating (GCWR) is 26,001 pounds or more. Any size vehicle that transports certain hazardous materials placards must also have a CDL driver. CDL holders lose more points on their Tennessee license compared to Class D drivers for similar violations. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety, the following schedule of moving violations applies to commercial vehicles:

• Reckless driving . . .7 points
• Improper passing . . . 4 points
• Improper or erratic lane change . . . 5 points
• Following improperly . . . 4 points
• Careless or negligent driving . . . 5 points
• Failure to obey traffic instructions . . . 4 points
• Wrong way, side or direction . . . 4 points
• Failure to yield right of way . . . 4 points
• Making improper turn . . . 4 points
• Failure to signal direction . . . 3 points
• Passing stopped school, church, or youth bus taking on or discharging passengers . . . 6 points
• Following emergency vehicle unlawfully . . . 3 points
• Speed less than posted minimum . . . 4 points
• Miscellaneous traffic violations . . . 3 points
• Failure to yield to emergency vehicles . . . 6 points
• Failure to stop at a railroad crossing . . . 8 points

Tennessee traffic citation attorneys understand that collectively, driving commercially is an integral element of American modern industry. If you have a CDL and are cited with speeding or a moving traffic violation, contact a Tennessee traffic lawyer. Our office handles these types of cases in Knoxville, Sevierville, Alcoa, Maryville, Newport, Dandridge, Johnson City, Greenville, Morristown, and Bristol.