Indiana · Handbook chapter 3 · 4 min read

Chapter 3: Points, suspensions and insurance

Indiana's point system, the Driver Safety Program credit, the 25/50/25 minimum insurance, proof of financial responsibility, SR22, operating while intoxicated, chemical test suspensions and Habitual Traffic Violators.

Why this chapter matters

Indiana backs its traffic laws with points, suspensions and insurance checks. The exam asks about the .08 limit, the length of a chemical test suspension and the 25/50/25 insurance minimum, so learn these figures.

Points

The BMV gives each violation a point value. Some examples:

Points stay active for two years from the conviction date.

The Driver Safety Program

• Any driver may take a BMV-approved Driver Safety Program (DSP) course, in a classroom, online or on DVD, and receive a four-point credit.
• You can get only one four-point credit in any three-year period.
• The BMV may order a DSP for a driver aged 21 or older with two or more convictions in 12 months, or for a driver under 21 with two or more convictions.
• If ordered, you have 90 days to finish. If you do not, your driving privileges are suspended until you complete it.

Insurance

You may not drive in Indiana without financial responsibility. The minimum liability insurance is:

• $25,000 for injury or death of one person,
• $50,000 for injury or death of two or more people in one accident,
• $25,000 for property damage.

This is called 25/50/25. After a crash or certain violations, the BMV may ask for proof. Your insurer must send a Certificate of Compliance (COC) electronically within 90 days, or your driving privileges are suspended.

SR22 and reinstatement fees

• An SR22 is proof of future financial responsibility that your insurer files with the BMV. It cannot be canceled without notice to the BMV.
• After a no-insurance suspension, reinstatement fees are $250 for a first offense, $500 for a second and $1,000 for a third or later (for suspensions after 1 January 2015).
• You can avoid the fee by keeping an SR22 on file continuously for 180 days.

Operating while intoxicated

• Driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) over the legal limit of .08, or while intoxicated, is a criminal offense.
• BAC depends mainly on how much you drink, how fast you drink it and your body weight.
• If an officer has probable cause, you may be asked to take a chemical test.

A court may add a further suspension after a conviction, may grant specialized driving privileges to eligible drivers and may order an ignition interlock, a device that tests the driver's breath before the car will start. A conviction for operating a watercraft while intoxicated carries the same license penalties.

Other suspensions

• Failing to appear in court or to pay a traffic ticket.
• Driving while suspended, which can become a misdemeanor or felony with a prior offense.
• Unpaid child support, when a court or the support agency orders it.
• Paying the BMV with dishonored funds (for example a bounced check).

Habitual Traffic Violators

Drivers who build up serious judgments over 10 years can be declared Habitual Traffic Violators (HTV):

• Two major offenses causing injury or death: 10-year suspension (for life when both are drunk-driving deaths).
• Three major offenses, such as OWI, reckless driving or leaving the scene: 10-year suspension.
• Ten traffic violations, at least one of them major: five-year suspension.

Your driver record

You can view your record free at myBMV.com. An Official Driver Record costs $4.