Points are not necessarily given for an accident in New York but may be given for moving violations that contributed to the accident. In NYS the DMV computer system automatically calculates your point total when you are assigned points on your license for a moving violation. Your point total is the total number of driver violation points that you received during the 18 previous months.

Points are counted from the dates of your traffic violations, not from the dates of your traffic convictions. A traffic conviction is required for the points to appear on your driver record. 18 months after the date of the violation, the points for that violation are removed from your point total. The convictions remain on your record.

If instead of points you were wondering how long the accident will remain on your motor vehicle record, then you should be aware that the NYS DMV lists an accident on the records of every driver in the accident. An accident that appears on a driver record does not assign the fault to that driver. The DMV does not determine the fault in an accident.

A moving violation conviction or an accident normally remains on a driver record during the year that the conviction or the accident occurred, and for the following three calendar years. (Note: The DMV uses the year when the conviction occurred, not the year when the violation occurred.)

The DMV removes a conviction or an accident from a driver record on January 1 of the fourth year after the year of the conviction or the accident. For example, an accident or a conviction that occurred during 2006 remains on the driver record until January 1, 2010.

If an accident on your record has affected your insurance rates follow this link for an affordable auto insurance quote.