Illinois speeding tickets may seem like no big deal, but they can suspend your license.

Traffic tickets can suspend your driver's license.

Have you been pulled over? Did the police officer write you a ticket for speeding?

If so, that ticket may cost you your driver's license.

Contrary to what many people believe, the points on your driver's license don't matter.  It's the number of tickets you've had that determines whether your license is suspended.

In Illinois, 3 moving violations within 12 months will result in a suspended license. For drivers who are younger than 21 years of age, 2 moving violations in 24 months will cause a driver's license suspension.

The points on your license come into play when you've had too many tickets in a year. The reason is, the number of points on your license determines how long your suspension will be.

The Secretary of State will suspend your license using the following schedule:

• 15 through 44 points: 2 month suspension.
• 45 through 74 points: 3 month suspension.
• 75 through 89 points: 6 month suspension.
• 90 through 99 points: 9 month suspension.
• 100 through 109 points: 12 month suspension.
• 110 or more points: Your license isn't suspended. It's revoked, which means you'll have to appear before Secretary of State hearing officer in order to be reinstated. And that's not a sure thing.

The points on your driver's license can add up very quickly:

• Speeding 1-10 mph over the limit counts for 5 points.
• Speeding 11-14 mph over the limit. That's 15 points.
• Speeding 15-25 mph over the limit counts for 25 points.
• Speeding 26-29 mph over the limit is good for 50 points.
• Speeding 30 mph over the limit counts for 50 points.
• Speeding in a school zone? 20 points.
• Speeding in a work zone. That's 20 points.

As you can see from the above, a few tickets in a short amount of time and your license is suspended.

The critical issue is that if you are caught driving during a suspension, it's a criminal offense.

Driving while suspended is a Class A misdemeanor offense. The sentence for a Class A misdemeanor can be up to one year in jail and a fine of $2,500. The judge is also authorized to impose a punishment of community service.

But the most serious consequence from a ticket for driving while suspended is that it will cause the Secretary of State to re-suspend your driver's license for the same period of suspension as before.

In effect, a ticket for driving while license suspended doubles your suspension.

On the second offense of driving while suspended, the minimum sentence by law is 100 community service hours.

Your third offense of driving during a suspension results in a minimum 30 days of jail or 300 community service hours.

And on your fourth offense, the State of Illinois can have your vehicle immobilized.

Many people believe a ticket for driving while suspended in Chicago won't result in jail time. But the Tribune runs a story about suspended drivers getting arrested as they drive away from traffic court at the Daley Center usually once a year. And believe it, these people are going inside.

In the collar counties, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, etc., these offenses are far more serious, and jail is a possibility early.

Lewis Gainor is the author of this blog and maintains a special law practice dedicated to criminal, DUI, and vehicle code offenses. If you were ticketed for speeding and believe you may lose your driver's license, call him today at (224) 688-9118 for a free consultation.