Fines and tickets for breaking the rules of the road vary from state to state, but most of the main guidelines apply. Listed below are the driving and traffic laws that pertain to drivers in the State of Missouri.
First, it is against the law in Missouri to drive on the roads without car insurance. If you do not have the minimum liability and property damage coverage required by law you could get your license suspended. If you do not have proof of insurance on you when you are stopped by an officer of the law, the firs offense will get you a suspended license for sixty days, second offense is a one year suspension, and two year suspension applies to offenses past that.
Moving violations in the state of Missouri will get you points on your license. If you receive 8 points within an eighteen month period you will lose your license for 30 days. If you reach 12 points within eighteen months your license will be suspended for one year.
Missouri has a an implied consent law, which means if you are pulled over by a law enforcement officer who thinks you may be intoxicated, just by driving on the highways of the state you have consented to a blood or alcohol test to see if you are indeed driving under the influence. Your license will be suspended for one year if you refuse to take the test.
A first offense DUI can get you a fine up to $500 and jail time up to six months. A second offense brings the fines up to $1,000 and possible jail time up to a year. Additional offenses from the third time on can result in fines up to $5,000, county jail time up to one year or up to five years in the state penitentiary.
Missouri also has a non-nonsense Abuse and Lose law for drivers under the age of 21. You will lose your license for 90 days if you are caught with alcohol or illegal drugs in your possession, if you have altered your drivers license in any way or if you are caught using someone else’s drivers license.
If you are caught driving with a suspended driver’s license you will get a minimum of 48 hours in jail or community service depending on the county that you live in.
The speed limits in effect on the freeways in Missouri are 70 mph, 55 to 65 on urban freeways. You can drive between 65 to 70 mph on rural divided highways and 55 to 65 for undivided rural areas. The speed limit in school zones is 20 mph.
It is against the law for a child between the ages of four and 15 to be a passenger in a vehicle in Missouri without wearing a seat belt. And any child that is under the age of four or weighs less than 40 pounds must be in an approved child restraint seat. Children who are under the age of 8 and weigh less than 80 pounds or are 4’9” or under can use a child seat or a booster. Fines for violating these seat belt restrictions could get you a fine of $50 plus court costs.
