Maintaining A Clean Driving Record

Driving Record

If you are a driver who likes to put ‘the flip’ on the accelerator when it comes to getting behind the wheel, chances are that sooner or later you will face problems. The possibility of having an accident or receiving a speeding ticket is very high and so is the probability that your auto insurance premiums will rise to their highest level. Therefore, it is in your best interest to have a clean driving record.

Be Careful When Driving

You do have to be careful with the decisions that you make behind the wheel. These will be reflected in the history of your driving record and sometimes, they will never disappear. Therefore, a bad history could hurt the cost of your car insurance and even prevent other companies from wanting to ensure you.

In most states, speeding tickets and minor traffic accidents remain on the driving record for three years and are in the public domain.

The Details on Your Record

There is specific information that may appear on your driving record, according to the US Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). These include:

  • Status License: active, suspended, or revoked.
  • Traffic accidents.
  • Driving points, which are lost with the accumulation of infractions.
  • Traffic violations, judgments, and debts to pay with the DMV.
  • Driving under the influence (DUI) offenses, which are also in the public domain.
  • States where your license is valid or canceled.
  • Addresses where you have lived and other personal information that you have provided to the DMV.

How to Access Your Driving Record

The history can be obtained in person, online, by mail, and even via fax; depending on the state department in which you request your driving record. However, some DMV offices only allow applicants to request their driving record in person. You can check the home page of your DMV to find out the flexibility of its procedures.

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The Insurer

The company that carries your auto insurance policy will know that you have been fined by checking the public records before renewing your policy.

Although you may not be able to get rid of the fine, you can take steps to remove penalty points from your record.

  • Solicit the help of a traffic ticket company and let them help you fight it in court so you don’t have to pay the fines. If you want to contest it, then it is best to have a professional take care of that for you. The judge will determine if your record should be cleared or not and then you won’t face having points on your driver’s license or record.
  • You might be told by the DMV to enroll in a driver’s education course. If you complete the course, the points may be removed successfully. It shows that you are making an effort to remedy the situation on your own behalf.
  • If the traffic ticket company is unable to help you, then you should consider soliciting help from a traffic lawyer who will help you get rid of the traffic violations.

Conclusion

If you have taken steps to remove points from your driver’s license, be sure to say so when requesting quotes for auto insurance. It is important that the insurance company is aware and verifies that you have followed the appropriate steps to eliminate the negative points; otherwise, it could be based on the previous report resulting in higher rates. The bottom line is that you should do everything possible to have a clean driving record.