Do you have a restriction on your license for vision problems? If so, forgetting your glasses at home can cost you a significant amount of money and possibly even time behind bars. Well, that is if you get behind the wheel and attempt to drive. Read on to learn more about citations and driving without your prescription eyeglasses.

Yes, You Can Get a Ticket, Be Fined, and Be Jailed.

It is possible to receive a citation for driving a vehicle without your prescription glasses. In some states, the punishment will be a fine because it is considered a minor violation. However, other states look at driving without your corrective lenses as a more serious violation and could require time in jail. Here are examples:

• Florida – In the Sunshine State, driving a vehicle without your eyeglasses, which is violating a restriction of your driver's license, is considered a moving violation. It is also considered a misdemeanor of the second-degree. The punishment can be a $500 fine and as many as 60 days behind bars.
• Michigan – In Oakland County of the Great Lake State, two points will be added to your driving record. You will also be required to show up in court, as it is mandatory.
• Arizona – In the Grand Canyon State, an individual who is violating a driver's license restriction is committing a class 2 misdemeanor, which is punishable by 120 days in jail and as much as a $750 fine.

Is It Possible to Get the Ticket Dismissed?

If you recently had corrective surgery on your eyes to eliminate your vision problems, but you have not yet had the corrective restriction removed from your driver's license, then you may be able to have your citation dismissed. You will need to show evidence of the corrective surgery, its success and the removal of the restriction from your license.

If you have a corrective restriction on your license that requires that you wear glasses or contacts while driving, you must wear them at all times. While you may assume that you only need your glasses at night, a restriction on your license is a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week requirement. If you are behind the wheel of a vehicle, your glasses must be on or your contacts in. Otherwise, you are at risk of a citation and the associated punishment that is set forth by your state, county or city.

Do You Need an Attorney?

Usually, you can handle traffic citations on your own, but if things get out of hand or you feel like you need help, contact a traffic law attorney like one from Walsh Fewkes Sterba to discuss your citation and individual situation. There may be a way to get out of the ticket that you weren't aware of.