A record number of people this year will lose their drivers licenses because they can't afford to pay driving fines.
Some say they can't pay because they've lost their jobs. NewsChannel 3 spent hours in local courts and found many with suspended licenses say they've been taking costly chances.
"I am 55 years old and I am going to jail for the first time in my life. All for driving. For trying to get to work and back home."
Susan Moore is a great grandmother. This Friday she'll go to jail because she was driving on a suspended license.
"I did a wrong, and I have got to pay for my wrong."
A record number of people in Virginia are doing that same wrong. Last year, DMV suspended more than 432,000 licenses because drivers didn't pay their fines. If you spend a day in traffic court, you'll find many, like Susan, didn't pay because they've lost jobs. But they kept driving anyway.
When asked why she kept driving, Susan replies, "Because I needed to go to work. I couldn't stay home. I know my license was suspended, so I just said, well you know, maybe I will just take a chance. The only thing I would do is go to work and come back home."
Susan lost her license because she couldn't afford insurance. Later, she lost her job. But she kept driving anyway, looking for a new job. Police caught her again. And again. For this third time, the judge sent her to jail.
"Yes I am scared. I don't know what to expect. I don't know what to do. I am just going to jail."
A record number of license suspensions also likely means a record number of people driving illegally on the same roads as you. They won't have insurance and, according to police, they're less likely to stick around after an accident.
And because of the economy, many said it will take several months, and maybe much longer, to afford a valid license.
"To get my license back, I need well over $1, 500."
Jon Gholson was working in Chicago, on a management track for a warehousing company, until the economy turned sour.
"I was laid off. The factory was shutting down. A lot of cutbacks. So, I came back to Virginia to start over again."
In Virginia, his license was suspended. He blames his brother, who is now in jail, for stealing his identity and racking up unpaid tickets. He knew his license was suspended when he drove his girlfriend to the hospital. On the way home, police stopped him.
Like Susan, Jon needs a job to pay off the fines. And to get a job, he needs a license.
"I'm not driving. It hinders me from finding a job, especially some of the jobs that require you to have DMV records. I can't even get that."
Both Susan and Jon say the biggest problem isn't paying off the tickets. It's the extra money, like court costs, DMV fees and even collections fees that sent their balances soaring.
"It's too much," says Susan. "It's too much money they ask you for, for a person who doesn't have a job. I did it. I did it. I can admit that I did it."
And for Susan, here's the worst part. She can't even afford to go to jail.
"I am not working. I don't have a job. I can't afford it."
The judge agreed to let Susan serve the time on weekends, so she could still look for a job. But there is an extra fee for the convenience of serving time on weekends. Susan doesn't have it. That means when she reports to jail this Friday, she'll stay there a while.
"I got to do 10 days. I have to do the 10 days."
The DMV obviously doesn't have the all of this year's numbers yet for suspended licenses. But the numbers that are out so far show this isn't letting up. And consider this, last year DMV granted 38,000 new licenses. But also last year DMV suspended 10 times more than that because drivers didn't pay their fines.
Some say they can't pay because they've lost their jobs. NewsChannel 3 spent hours in local courts and found many with suspended licenses say they've been taking costly chances.
"I am 55 years old and I am going to jail for the first time in my life. All for driving. For trying to get to work and back home."
Susan Moore is a great grandmother. This Friday she'll go to jail because she was driving on a suspended license.
"I did a wrong, and I have got to pay for my wrong."
A record number of people in Virginia are doing that same wrong. Last year, DMV suspended more than 432,000 licenses because drivers didn't pay their fines. If you spend a day in traffic court, you'll find many, like Susan, didn't pay because they've lost jobs. But they kept driving anyway.
When asked why she kept driving, Susan replies, "Because I needed to go to work. I couldn't stay home. I know my license was suspended, so I just said, well you know, maybe I will just take a chance. The only thing I would do is go to work and come back home."
Susan lost her license because she couldn't afford insurance. Later, she lost her job. But she kept driving anyway, looking for a new job. Police caught her again. And again. For this third time, the judge sent her to jail.
"Yes I am scared. I don't know what to expect. I don't know what to do. I am just going to jail."
A record number of license suspensions also likely means a record number of people driving illegally on the same roads as you. They won't have insurance and, according to police, they're less likely to stick around after an accident.
And because of the economy, many said it will take several months, and maybe much longer, to afford a valid license.
"To get my license back, I need well over $1, 500."
Jon Gholson was working in Chicago, on a management track for a warehousing company, until the economy turned sour.
"I was laid off. The factory was shutting down. A lot of cutbacks. So, I came back to Virginia to start over again."
In Virginia, his license was suspended. He blames his brother, who is now in jail, for stealing his identity and racking up unpaid tickets. He knew his license was suspended when he drove his girlfriend to the hospital. On the way home, police stopped him.
Like Susan, Jon needs a job to pay off the fines. And to get a job, he needs a license.
"I'm not driving. It hinders me from finding a job, especially some of the jobs that require you to have DMV records. I can't even get that."
Both Susan and Jon say the biggest problem isn't paying off the tickets. It's the extra money, like court costs, DMV fees and even collections fees that sent their balances soaring.
"It's too much," says Susan. "It's too much money they ask you for, for a person who doesn't have a job. I did it. I did it. I can admit that I did it."
And for Susan, here's the worst part. She can't even afford to go to jail.
"I am not working. I don't have a job. I can't afford it."
The judge agreed to let Susan serve the time on weekends, so she could still look for a job. But there is an extra fee for the convenience of serving time on weekends. Susan doesn't have it. That means when she reports to jail this Friday, she'll stay there a while.
"I got to do 10 days. I have to do the 10 days."
The DMV obviously doesn't have the all of this year's numbers yet for suspended licenses. But the numbers that are out so far show this isn't letting up. And consider this, last year DMV granted 38,000 new licenses. But also last year DMV suspended 10 times more than that because drivers didn't pay their fines.
