Many states have a system that assigns a point value to each traffic offense.
Greater offenses have greater point values. For example, failure to come to a full and complete stop at a stop sign might be 1 point, while speeding 50 miles per hour over the posted speed limit might be 3 points. Points can be accumulated over time. For example, Speed Racer has a habit of driving too fast and he gets 6 points in a seven month time frame. The next time Speed Racer goes out and gets stopped for speeding, in addition to the citation for speeding, he will also get a citation for driving under a suspended license - one petty offense and one misdemeanor.