I got into a minor rear-end car accident 4 years ago and found out after the event that my insurance was expired by 7 days. I was sued for $14,000 and was told I had a month (after court) to pay 20% of that, nearly $3,000; or they would suspend my license. I only made around $2,000 a month so it was impossible. I called, I pleaded, and I begged. The responses I received almost convinced me that losing my license is exactly what they wanted. Since I wasn't able to make the 'down payment', my license was suspended and would stay suspended until I could pay 50% of my settlement. But it didn't just stop there, if I didn't pay them 50% of the settlement within 90 days, they would start procedures to garnish my paycheck. Again, I tried to explain my income limitations and they just shrugged and told me to borrow the money or be garnished.

So there I was, no license, 50% of my weekly wages garnished; and still in a position where I could not get my license unless I paid them an unobtainable amount of money. It took me nearly 2 years of working multiple part time jobs (on top of my full time job) to pay the attorneys enough to get them to release my license. In that time I lost my home, had to move home with family at the age of 35, and was pulled over twice while "driving the gauntlet" back and forth to work. I almost committed suicide after the second suspension pull over, when they towed and impounded my car. I couldn't get my car back until I got the suspension lifted, and I couldn't lift the suspension before my impounded car was auctioned.

I just got my license 2 weeks ago, and it feels like I'm waking from a dreadful nightmare. For 4 years my life was literally wasted spinning my tires just trying to get back to the ground. Now I just need a car. I'm 36 yrs old and no better off than a 16 year old.