It's all too easy to underestimate the power of our personal driving records. We pay attention to our work records, to our bank records, to our tax records … and yet, when many of us spend hours each week driving, we somehow forget to check that our driving records are all in order. Neglecting to check yours, and keeping it as clean as you can, may lead you into difficulties, particularly if you're looking to move to a job that requires driving to some extent. So, what can you do?
You can order your personal online driving record check and read it over. Any driving tickets or offenses will be recorded, as will any points applied to your license – if there are any mistakes on there, such as an incorrect number of points or exaggerated fine amounts, this can affect your success with potential new jobs or with securing insurance policies. Wherever you are in the country, from New York to Texas, online driving record checks are requested by individuals and businesses on a regular basis.
Your driving record is basically your state's method of following your motoring habits, so your online driving record Texas , Massachusetts or Illinois will list your driving history. While most entries are temporary (points, for example), some will be permanent or long-term, though these vary from state to state. This means it can take time to shake off any incidents which may affect the quality of your record, so maintaining a clean driving history is always worthwhile wherever possible. You can order driving record online, through email or postal mail, in any part of the country. From Alaska to Colorado, driving record online checks are the smart way to keep up to date on your history.
Checking your record from time to time allows you to:
- Ensure your record is accurate to your own knowledge and evidence
- Check your driver's license and its current validity
- Look at ways to make improvements to your driving methods
Benefits of ordering your driving record
The main benefit of ordering your driving record online is that it allows you to make that first step into correcting or fixing any mistakes which may be present. Any blemishes on your driving record may affect your chances of employment in specific roles, and your insurance policies. If these are genuinely down to your own actions or misbehavior behind the wheel, then this reflects poorly on you, but steps may be taken to remove these in time (such as visiting a regulated traffic school – these can help you improve your chances of a positive experience). However, if these are mistakes by the DMV, then you need to contact them as soon as possible to have them taken off or amended – if you believe any piece of information may be false, no matter how big or small, it's vital to bring it to their attention.
If your record includes numerous offenses, you may find your license is suspended – or revoked altogether. Depending on your personal circumstances and responsibilities, this could be disastrous. Do you have children you need to drive to school or to a caregiver's? Do you have elderly parents who rely on your transportation on a regular basis? Is your commute to work only possible in a car? All of these can, and will, be affected if you lose your license, so taking stock of your mistakes and deciding on a course of positive change could prove essential to you – and those who depend on you.
Another benefit of getting your personal driving record is that you will be able to see how you stand with insurance companies. If you have been struggling to secure a policy, checking through your driving history and ascertaining the reasons could help you find the best way to insure your vehicle. Depending on the state your record is in, and the severity of your offenses, you may find yourself facing excessive premiums or, worst of all, facing no coverage at all. What can affect your likelihood of insurance? Accidents, speeding tickets, suspensions – all of these can mark you out as a potential hazard.
However, if you have multiple offenses which are making it hard for you to find insurance, there are various options available to you. Using a comparison site may help you to find a company more likely to offer better quotes to drivers with a similar history to your own, and as long as they're licensed to provide insurance within your state, you can buy a deal from them, wherever they are. Also, some states (such as New Jersey, for example) offer assignment programs, through which troubled drivers can find coverage, while some states even offer a self-insurance policy, which may be just what you need.
Your driving record and insurers
How often will a motor insurance company check your driving record? The most common method is for a review when you first apply for a policy with them, and then again at each renewal point. Your record will be evaluated to check your risk levels and to decide on your premium charge. Obviously, the higher the number of speeding fines and minor accidents will highlight you as a potential dangerous driver, pushing your premiums higher and higher. Companies may also check your record whenever you request to add or remove additional drivers, switch your coverage plan or add a new vehicle to your policy.
When it comes to accidents, how bad is bad? This depends on the seriousness of the accident, as well as where blame can be placed. If you were involved in a minor accident and found not to be at fault, the state and your insurance company may forgive this. However, if you were involved in a major accident and proven to be at fault, your insurance rates may increase, or – for the worst situations – your coverage may be canceled altogether (depending on the respective laws in your state).
Driving records and employers
While not every company checks its potential employees' driving records, some will – particularly (and most obviously) those which require workers to perform any degree of driving in their day-to-day tasks. If you have neglected to check your driving record is fully accurate before applying for a job, the person or persons checking will not be able to discern what are genuine and what are mistakes, so if any errors have been made to your discredit, they may cost you the job altogether. If the information is accurate, and you have more than enough blemishes on your record to put any potential employers off, then you should contact the DMV right away to discuss your options for clearing them – if such options exist.
Companies of all sizes, across all sectors, can perform background checks on any prospective employee, so it's vital to keep your driving record in the best condition you can. If an employer calls you on an offense, what's the best way to deal with it? Should you try your best to skirt around the issue, or just confront it head-on and speak openly and frankly about it? Well, while everyone's free to make their own choices, in these situations, honesty is probably best – but be sure to emphasize that your actions, whatever they may have been, were firmly in the past, isolated, and never to be repeated again. Also, focus on the outcome of these: discuss how you've learned from these mistakes, and how you're keen to move on and be a better person as a result. While you can't be sure how an interviewer will respond to this, it's likely they will – at the least – appreciate your honesty and willingness to learn from bad decisions. Whatever role you're applying for, such behavior shows an ability to adapt and change for the better.
Clearing your driving record
Okay, so you've made a mistake (or a few) and now you're paying the costs: your personal driving record's in a mess, and you want to remove some of the points on your license to ensure a better insurance deal and more employment prospects. What can you do to remove these points? Well, each state manages their points differently – most states have them, but some don't. The ones that do evaluate points have different totals, varying time frames and their own policies regarding points removal.
To learn more about the points removal policy in your state, contact your local DMV or alternative motoring agency. The most likely and common scenario is your state will provide one of two methods of points removal from your record:
- A state-sanctioned course to improve your driving skills
- Keep a clean record for a set period
Depending on the state you live in, you might be presented with the opportunity to remove points through a traffic safety course – this may be open to you immediately, though some states do require a court's approval (Illinois enforces this, for example). In order to successfully clear these points, you need to go with a school or course which has state-approval – gaining a certificate of course-completion from a school with no authorization will result in your points staying on your record. To be sure, check with your local DMV or motor vehicle agency – time spent doing this will save time spent re-taking the course!
What about the second option: maintaining a clean record for a set period of time? You will be given a specific time frame and a number of incidents to adhere to, and, if you achieve this, certain points will be removed from your record. This option takes a good while longer than undertaking a course, but it encourages safer driving over time, thereby improving your skills and awareness whilst you work towards your reward. How long will you have to observe this for? Each state is different, but as an example, Massachusetts drivers are required to avoid three or more moving traffic violations for a period of five years, and, from then on, one point will be removed from each charge for three years' safe motoring.
Your parking record from an employer's perspective
So, you've applied for a great job, and now you're through to an interview. You know your personal driving record isn't as good as it should be (particularly as this role will involve driving as a minor part). You're expecting your interviewer to bring up the blemishes on your history. How do you deal with it? What are employers looking for when they scour your driving record? Well, obviously, the bigger violations will attract their attention – being to blame in a major accident will certainly cause some concern (if so, remember the calm, learning-from-mistakes attitude mentioned earlier), but smaller violations will also catch their eye. Speeding tickets and DUI's will make the alarm bells ring, and they will expect you to explain them before taking your application any further.
Regardless of how often your job will involve driving, a prospective employer needs to be sure you're a trustworthy candidate. If they believe you may pose a threat to their property, their vehicles, their customers or anyone else on the roads, then you're unlikely to secure the position. In rare occasions, then an employer may be looking for a perfect record, but otherwise, one or two small violations may be accepted.
How can I get my driving record?
If you want to check your own online driving record, whether to assess its accuracy or to prepare for a forthcoming job application, then there are various options available to you. Ordering it online is fast, easy, and allows you to receive your record by email or postal mail. Once you have it, you can then contact the DMV or alternative agency about any discrepancies or issues you may have.
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