What Is a Statutory Summary Suspension?

If you are like most people in Illinois, you likely know that you could be at risk of losing your right to drive if you are ever charged with a drunk driving offense. However, you may not fully understand the processes involved with this penalty. There is one way that a person might lose driving privileges after being arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and that is called the statutory summary suspension.

As explained by Cyberdrive Illinois, if you were to be charged with a DUI offense, you might experience both administrative and criminal penalties. The loss of the right to drive is one form of administrative penalty. By a statutory summary suspension, you would be required to be notified of this loss of privilege and then 46 days after being notified, your license suspension may begin. In some situations, your license may actually be revoked instead of suspended.

You have the right to fight this suspension by requesting a hearing. Within 30 days of your request, the hearing must be held and is able to review some key elements of your case including whether or not you were actually in control of the vehicle when you were arrested.

This information is not intended to provide legal advice but is instead meant to give residents in Illinois an overview of some of the processes that may be involved in the loss of their driving privileges if they are arrested for and charged with a driving under the influence offense.