In this day and age, employers can't be too safe about who they hire. This is why many hiring agents are now routinely doing background checks on potential new hires. These background checks can range from credit reports to criminal records to driving records. Did you know, for instance, that people other than yourself and a police officer are able to obtain a record of your driving history? It's true! In fact, your driving history can be of great interest for a number of reasons and to a variety of people. And this is all legally obtained information. It is not about thieves hacking into your vehicle driving history.
Whether you have just applied for a job or whether you are the one doing the hiring, taking a good look at a driving history can often reveal a lot. This is especially true if the job obviously entails a lot of driving, whether it's driving goods around, such as a delivery person, or driving people across town.
If you own a driver's license, there is a driving related history about you that is on file at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in your state. Different states have different rules for obtaining these histories. Looking into the requirements for your specific state, for instance the Wisconsin driving records , will give you the right information you need in order to know which histories you can order and who else has the rights to see them. In Florida, driving records for your complete, last 7 years or last 3 years can be purchased. Driving records in Texas can provide you with just a Status Record of your current license status, a 3-year driving history, a list of all collisions and violations, or an abstract of your complete driving record. Illinois driving records show such driver information as points received, traffic violations and driver's license suspensions or revocations. One other example of a state's drivers' activity records is an example of one where it is very easy to obtain online information. Colorado driving record online requests show drivers' activities that go back 7 years and non-certified copies can be purchased on-line. You would probably agree that this information can be very informative and useful for you to take a look at once you are done reading this article. But it's not only you that might be interested in seeing your driving record. A potential employer or insurer might have a vested interest in perusing it before hiring you for certain jobs or deciding to hand you an insurance policy.
Why Would An Employer Or A Potential Employer Want to Review Someone's Official Driving History?
If a job entails driving for extended periods of time, an employer would definitely want to review either a present employee's record or the driving history of someone they are considering for hire. As an employer of a potential applicant, you will want to know the type of person you are hiring in terms of their safe driving history. You want to be completely sure that you are hiring a safe driver to work for your company. Whether the job involves driving a school bus full of children, an ambulance, a food delivery truck or a government vehicle, an employer would be considered suspect if a driver's records were not checked out before the hire and intermittently throughout the years. It's the smart thing to do and it's vital for the safety of everyone involved.
Employing a person to drive a vehicle can be a tough decision to make because so much is at risk. Hiring the right person with a clean record of driving will keep the company's insurance rates down. Even one accident can drive insurance costs way up. Checking out a potential new hire's driving history will make the hiring decision easier. If there are red flags on the record, such as reckless driving convictions, collisions where the driver was at fault and speed violations, it's a no-brainer in most cases that this is not the person wanted to drive the company car, bus or truck. Seeing the existence of a number of points on someone's record can also raise a red flag, indicating an employee who has to speed to get to work on time or to make his deliveries timely. Accidents show a lack of attention or reckless disregard for the law.
Employers also can check out a current employee's driving record. Let's say you are hired and are on a 90-day probation period. After the 90 days, your employer can check your driving report again to see how you're doing and make a decision as to whether you should continued to work there. Employers may also want to screen these records every so often for every driver to encourage safe driving. When you know you are being scrutinized at unexpected intervals, you tend to do a better job and keep on your toes, according to employers.
If You're An Employer, Imagine Hiring A Driver Who Has Had Repeated Accidents and Traffic Violations
Knowledge is power! It has become a standard part of the hiring process now to check into a person's DMV records if that potential employee will be getting behind the wheel for you. Imagine hiring someone to drive a school bus without seeing his or her driving records from the DMV. What is that person had a DUI or DWI on their record? Would the school board approve that person to shuttle school children back and forth to school or to after-school activities? It's imperative that employers do these types of background checks. Imagine hiring a driver for your company vehicle who has had an expired or suspended license. That person might even be legally able to drive. Your company may be implicated in a negligent hiring claim if he or she has an accident. Whether you are seeking employees in just about any of the 50 states, a driving history can be obtained. Information on how to obtain Wisconsin driving records, Florida driving records, Illinois driving records, driving records in Texas, Colorado driving record online are just a few examples of how simple and safe it is to order these histories, in addition to any of the other 45 states.
Why Would I Want To View My Own Driving Record?
Again, knowledge is power. Before you apply for a job or a volunteer position you want that involves driving or for certain types of insurance, it's a good idea to know what your driving record will show. The odds are very good that your potential employer or insurance company will be requesting these records. If you know beforehand what can currently be seen on your records, you will be that much more informed as to your chances of obtaining your goal as a driver or of being insured. It's also a way to prevent someone from collecting information on you for potential identity theft. You will be able to see if anyone has ordered your driver's records fraudulently.
What Kind of Items Are Included On A Driving Record?
The DMV keeps records about a person's driving history that can be very complete or just go back a few years depending upon the state you are licensed in. Some of the things the DMV has tracked on your record are traffic accidents, points you have on your license for unlawful activity or tickets, traffic violations, fines, convictions and the current validity of your license. If your driver's license has been suspended or cancelled, that information will be on record, too.
What Are the Different Types of Records Available?
There are eight different types of driving records the DMV keeps.
A complete record is exactly what it sounds like it might be! It is your entire driving history of convictions, violations, accidents, suspensions of license (including revocations and disqualifications), deferred prosecutions and failures to appear in court. If you are a fantastic driver who has never been fined or had an accident, your record will look very sparse. But it's rare not to have had at least one or two incidents, especially if you've been driving for years or if you are still in your teens or early twenties, the prime ages for traffic violations and accidents.
A 3-year noncommercial insurance abstract includes the driver's last 3 years of noncommercial driving. Here you will find any convictions, violations, collisions and failures to appear in court records. A 3-year commercial insurance abstract also show the last 3 years of a commercial driver's convictions, violations, accidents and failures to appear. A 3-year life insurance abstract will show the same information.
An employment record will delineate a driver's convictions, violations, collisions, suspensions, revocations, disqualifications, deferred prosecutions and failures to appear. A volunteer vanpool driver record, volunteer for organization driver record and school bus driver record will have the same information on a driver.
What are these different types of records used for?
A complete record can be used for you to see what is on your driving history at the DMV. You can determine if the information is correct or not. You can also try to determine if anything on your record will prevent you from obtaining certain types of employment or insurance. A complete record can also be used in court cases.
3-year noncommercial and commercial insurance abstracts are used to write up and renew car or truck insurance policies. The information on the records are used to determine insurance quotes and the availability of obtaining insurance or renewing a policy.
A 3-year life insurance abstract is also what life insurance issuers depend upon to determine if a life insurance policy can be issued or renewed.
Employment records are what your potential employer will seek out to decide if they should hire you based upon your driving history. This is usually only true if you will be expected to drive for the company or person employing you in any sort of capacity.
Now volunteer driver records are important to the organizations requesting them. Even though you may be an unpaid volunteer willing to drive for them, they still need to know that you will meet insurance and risk management requirements or the necessary criteria to driver that company's vehicle.
Schools, of course, must know that their drivers have a good safety record. After all, the community's children are at direct risk depending upon the driver's ability to keep them safe (in addition to keeping those expensive school buses from being damaged in accidents).
So Who Can Get Legally Get A Copy of My Driving History?
The most important thing you should know is that you can get a copy of any of these different types of your own driving records. But you're not the only one who can see these records!
Here's a breakdown of who can see which of your records, aside from you:
- Only lawyers, law and justice agencies, and other governmental agencies can see your complete driving record.
- Insurance agents and their companies can see the various 3-year insurance abstracts.
- Employers, employment agents, prospective employers and their agents can view your employment record.
- Employees or agents of a transit authority can see your volunteer vanpool driver record.
- Volunteer organizations can see your volunteer for organization driver record.
- School districts are allowed to view your school bus driver record.
Employer inquiries for individuals' driving records must be related to the job and consent given for a background check.
How Are Driving Records Obtained?
Employers and individuals can obtain driving records through the mail, on-line at the DMV website or on a number of other websites that provide this information. There is a fee for getting driver's records which may be different for each state or website.
How Long Is All Of This Information Kept on My Records?
Different aspects of your history are kept for different amounts of time. Some of your driving history is kept on file for others to see for life or 99 years. These serious violations include convictions that are related to alcohol consumption, convictions of vehicular assault and homicide, and deferred prosecutions.
If you have a commercial driving license and have motor vehicle convictions on your record, bail forfeitures or court of law discoveries that you've committed an infraction, that information is kept on record for 55 years.
Suppose you've failed to appear or even respond to a traffic citation or a notice of infraction? Failure to Appear (FTA) stays on your record until it is resolved. It could also stay on record for 10 years from the date that the courts notify the DMV about it. Whichever comes first, resolution or the 10 years, is when the record is expunged.
If you've had your license suspended, revoked or it has been disqualified for some reason, this isn't removed from your record for 10 years.
The shortest amount of time that something stays on your driving history is 5 years. This includes convictions and violations.
Where Can Driving Records Be Obtained Quickly And Easily To Ensure The Safety of A Driver Being Hired Or For Your Own Piece Of Mind?
You can purchase your driving records or a potential employee's records directly from your computer. It quick and simple. With a driving records website like ours, you receive the records you are seeking from a safe, secure site. Employee driving records are simple to order. Signing up for a business account on www.4safedrivers.com allows employers to store, change and request histories for both current and potential employees. Delivery is fast and reliable.
An individual's driving report can also be purchased here in addition to being able to read informative articles on the website, compare insurance quotes and find defensive driving courses in your area. Other background checks can be made on the 4safedrivers website in addition to driving background records.
Don't delay in either checking out what information is on your driving report or investigating the background of your potential hires or even long-term employees. It's always a good bet to bet on the side of precaution. Order your report or open up a business account at www.4safedrivers.com today.
