Lost driving privileges? Here’s program for you

LISBON — Judges Mark A. Frost and Carol Ann Robb of Columbiana County Municipal Court will again offer a program to help people get their driving privileges reinstated.

A Driving Under Suspension workshop held at the court last fall helped more than 20 drivers get their licenses reinstated, or get occupational driving privileges.

Workers at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles will be at the court March 19. The court will schedule individual appointments with BMV workers, who will have access to driving records through the court’s computers.

Judge Robb said: “Many drivers who are under suspension want to do the right thing and get legal, but sometimes it is hard for them to understand all the steps they need to take. We hope that these workshops will help them to become licensed, insured and responsible.”

Judge Frost emphasized, “We are not trying to help dangerous or irresponsible drivers to get back behind the wheel. What we’re trying to do is to help people who may have gotten caught in the bureaucracy to find their way back to responsibility.”

Both judges mentioned that helping good drivers attain their license or driving privileges will free up the court docket to deal with other cases, will allow people who cannot get to work to become contributing society members, and will protect the public from uninsured motorists.

“The first required step towards legality,” according to Judge Robb, “is that a driver must be insured.”

Judge Frost said that recent changes in the law seem to be directed toward helping drivers to become more responsible. “For example,” he said, “many drivers are only under suspension because they owe BMV huge amounts of money for reinstatement fees. Under a recent enactment, we can now give a driver limited driving privileges to go to work or school if he or she has insurance and agrees to make payments to BMV of as little as $50 per month.”

Interested people can schedule an appointment by calling (330) 424-5326.