You can get them for too many points on your license, for being found guilty of certain motor vehicle infractions, and a pile of other things. And the pile up quickly.  They are thousands of dollars in addition to the increase in your car insurance and other costs, just to keep your driving license valid.  And what if you can’t pay? Your license is suspended.  So you walk, take the bus, get rides, or drive anyway, for a while.  But eventually it gets ridiculous and you need a valid driver’s license, and the surcharges have been accumulating.  And now you are in court and you need to show that you can get the license restored to get a favorable plea, or you need a job, and you need a license.  Either way, those surcharges can be gotten rid of instantly, not paid, but legally determined to not be due.  To get that result, you need to see an experienced bankruptcy lawyer, and the sooner you do, the sooner your license will be restored.