Each infraction such as moving violations, parking tickets, at-fault accidents, or driving under the influence, is assigned a certain point value. When you are found guilty of one of these infractions, the appropriate number of points is added to your driving record. The more points you have, the worse your record. Each insurance company has its own method of evaluating applicants, so the points on your driving record may or may not have a direct impact on the rates you pay for auto insurance.

Your policy may be surcharged if you have some of these violations. Many insurance companies will consider your driving record for the past three years as this is a more accurate reflection of your violation history. You could say that it's a 'big picture' look.

You can get as many free car insurance quotes as you'd like and can plug in different violations and dates to see how they might effect your premiums.