There are estimated to be about 200 million licensed drivers in the U.S. today — but that number doesn’t even come close to how many drivers are actually on the road. While many people simply drive without applying for a license at all, countless other drivers have had their licenses suspended by a judge or court. Here are just a few more facts about suspended drivers licenses that every driver should know:

• Although every suspended license case is different and depends on the state’s traffic laws, in general drivers may encounter a suspension of driving privileges for having too many traffic violations (thus gathering a lot of points on their driving record), for being arrested with a DUI charge, for failing to appear in court regarding any other traffic violation (even misdemeanor traffic offenses count), for not having car insurance, or even for failing to pay child support.
  

• Technically, if your driver’s license is suspended, the suspension isn’t “official” until you’ve been notified via a letter, which is sent to the address listed under your car’s registration. The punishments for driving on a suspended license are very severe, and this one important point is actually one of the few defenses that work when a person is caught driving on a suspended license.
  

• Many people request DMV hearings to avoid having their drivers’ licenses suspended, and this is most prevalent when drivers receive a DUI charge or when a driver is within one point of having his/her license suspended. At DMV hearings, the driver will have to prove to the judge that he/she is actively taking measures to improve driving; sometimes going to traffic school is even required. Although DMV hearings won’t necessarily allow the entire charge to be dismissed, they often mitigate the consequences of serious traffic violations — and let drivers keep their licenses.

It’s always important to know about laws and systems that apply to traffic tickets and fines in your state, so if you’re realizing that you don’t know much about the laws that apply to you, don’t hesitate to do some research!