If you consider yourself a safe driver — you haven’t had a moving violation or been involved in a crash — chances are you have a clean driving record. Generally, a clean record means you’re free of accidents, traffic infractions, points and claims.
When it comes to car insurance, having a clean driving record is elite status. Insurers consider those with a clean record a low risk and offer them the best insurance rates and discounts. However, if your record isn’t sparkling clean, there are still ways you can save on your auto insurance
Learn more about how various violations impact your driving record, strategies for improving your record and how you can find affordable car insurance if your record isn’t perfect.
- A driver with a clean driving record has no accidents, moving violations or points.
- Some vehicle violations can be dismissed by contesting a ticket in court, participating in a defensive driving course or fixing defective equipment.
- Violations on your record may not be removed for three to five years. Not receiving any future violations can help pave the path toward achieving a clean record over time.
What is considered a clean driving record?
Your driving record documents negative incidents you have as a driver. When you’re pulled over for speeding or involved in a fender bender, these incidents end up on your record and signal to interested parties — insurance companies and potential employers — the safety risk you present behind the wheel.
Other infractions that wind up on your record include driving recklessly, texting behind the wheel and driving under the influence.
Any of these violations can affect your auto insurance rates because they show you’re a risky bet.
How do different types of violations affect your driving record?
Even one speeding ticket on your driving record can affect your insurance rates. Two tickets will impact your rates more. And other violations could impact your rates even more.
In some states, a relatively minor violation on your motor vehicle record (MVR), such as a fender bender or speeding ticket, won’t damage your record too severely. While your record may not be clean, there may be some level of forgiveness or understanding from car insurance companies.
On the other hand, if you are at fault for a significant accident, you could see a big increase in your insurance rates, suspension of your license and even cancellation of coverage.
“Moving violations, at-fault accidents and serious infractions like a DUI or driving without insurance all negatively impact your motor vehicle record and the cost of auto insurance. Typically, issues such as speeding tickets and at-fault accidents stay on your MVR for at least three years and generate an increase of your premium via a surcharge during that timeframe,” says Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group. “Impaired driving has much longer implications. In some states, a DUI could stay on your MVR permanently, which will impact both the cost and availability of auto insurance for the rest of your driving life.”
Typically, states have demerit point systems in place for violations. Minor violations may incur 0-1 points while major violations may count as 2-3 points. Points can remain on your record for three to 10 years, or longer, based on the violation. In general, an accident will remain on your record for three years.
Too many points over a short period will, in most states, result in a suspended license. New York will suspend your license if you have 11 points in an 18-month period. Texas will suspend it if you have four or more moving traffic violations in a 12-month period or seven or more moving violations in 24 months.
If you live in a state that doesn’t use a point system, the state’s department of motor vehicles (DMV) will monitor your driving record to determine if your license should be suspended.
How much do different violations affect your rates?
Insurance companies use several different data points to set insurance rates, including your age, where you live, the car you drive and, of course, your driving record.
Each insurance company also determines how much it raises rates for various infractions.
A CarInsurance.com analysis, however, found that some violations can lead to hefty increases no matter which company insures your car:
- One at-fault property damage accident with more than $2,000 in damages on a policy with an average annual rate of $3,1000 can result in a more than 50% increase in rates.
- Driving under the influence can raise rates even more dramatically. Residents of North Carolina who get a DUI face the most significant increase in their insurance rates, 307%, followed by 217% in Hawaii, 207% in California, 157% in Michigan and 100% in Minnesota.
Benefits of maintaining a clean driving record
A clean driving record will lower your premiums and make you eligible for many driver discounts, such as safe/good driver reductions, which can save you 20-30% depending on your insurance provider.
Additionally, in some instances, employers use driving records as an indication of personal safety, decision-making skills, responsibility, consideration of others, and perceived risk — both on and off the road. If you’re applying for a driving position for, say, a food delivery service, your driving record will be used as background information and you may be disqualified if you have violations.
Never lie about a clean driving record
The truth has a way of making itself known, so lying about any part of your driving record — to a car insurance company, employer, or other official department — is never a good idea. When being asked about your background, be as honest as you can. If you are uncertain of what’s on your record, being truthful and listing violations you’re aware of can provide transparency into your background.
It’s natural to be worried about how a speeding ticket or accident might be perceived when you’re shopping for car insurance or applying for a job. However, some companies and insurers may not consider a violation you received two years ago a problem when looking at your overall driving record and history.
How you can check your driving record
If you want to improve your driving record, you should first find out what your state has on you.
You can check your driving record a couple of ways — through your insurance agent or your local DMV. Sometimes, your insurance agent can request a copy of your driving record, which can save you time and money.
Generally, DMV offices have an online form or portal you can access to request a copy of your record for a small fee. In some instances, you may need to print it upon access. Often, you can also request a copy via mail or by visiting your DMV in person.
When requesting a copy of your record, you’ll be required to provide personal details, such as your address, phone number and driver’s license number, and information on your vehicle including the vehicle identification number (VIN).
When you receive your driving record, it will include a report of any violations you have received within the past three to five years. According to the Insurance Information Institute, it will include any moving violations, accidents, DUI convictions, fees owed, license status and any defensive driving courses taken. For states with point systems, you’ll be able to view how many you have accrued.
Can you clear your driving record?
If you’ve received violations in the past, it can be a good idea to review a copy of your driving record every few years to see what’s listed. This can help ensure it’s accurate and current.
If you encounter an inaccuracy in your record, you should first contact your local DMV to learn how to update or fix your record.
“Some jurisdictions will remove a moving violation from your motor vehicle record if you take a state-approved driver safety course. This is very common for speeding tickets,” Friedlander says. “However, you will still be responsible for paying the cost of the ticket and court fees. Additionally, your insurance premiums may still rise even if you complete the safety course.”
But you should note that there are some violations on your driving record you may be unable to clear — reckless driving, a DUI or an at-fault accident, for example. Additionally, some states’ point systems require a violation to be listed for a set amount of time and will not clear a record without a legal decision.
Here are several steps you can take to keep your record as clean as possible:
- Contest a violation: If you’re ticketed for something you feel you didn’t deserve, you can go to court to fight the ticket. Typically, your ticket will have information about how to contest a ticket, but you can also contact the courthouse for information and dates. Perhaps you have witnesses or video that can prove you did indeed stop at a light. If so, it’s worth talking to a judge. Additionally, if you contest the ticket and the ticketing officer doesn’t appear in court, your ticket may be dismissed.
- Defer your ticket: In some states, such as Indiana, you can contact the courthouse and ask for a deferment on your ticket. If you’re eligible, you can be enrolled in a deferment program. In Hamilton County, Indiana, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office determines eligibility. Once in the program, if you aren’t cited for a violation within a set period of time your ticket is dismissed and the violation isn’t put on your record. In Putnam County, Indiana, if you’re cited for going 1-15 miles over the speed limit, you’ll need to avoid any other violation for six months. You should note that more serious infractions, such as excessive speeding or tickets associated with traffic accidents, aren’t eligible for these programs.
- Fix inaccuracies: Review your driving record for inaccuracies or violations that should have been removed. If you find any errors, contact your local DMV and ask how you can remove mistakes from your record. More on this below.
What should you do if there are mistakes on your driving record?
If you find inaccuracies on your report, you’ll need to dispute those citations or convictions — especially if you see something the court previously dismissed.
Start by contacting your DMV. Some state DMVs have forms available online to initiate the correction process. Your car insurance company also may be able to help remove inaccuracies on your report.
Can minor infractions be removed from your driving record?
Depending on the state, minor infractions may be removed from your driving record.
In some states, infractions remain listed until they have reached their maturation point and are then removed. However, these states may recognize that a driver has participated in a defensive driving course, and provide a credit on their record for future violations.
As noted above, some states will allow you to remove minor infractions — such as a speeding ticket or defective equipment — by completing state-approved programs or “fixing” the infraction. It’s best to review your DMV’s guidelines and discuss your options with your current car insurer.
Strategies to improve your driving record
If you have a poor record, is there anything you can do to improve it?
The good news is that, yes, you can.
“You can improve your motor vehicle record by following safe driving practices and avoiding moving violations and additional accidents,” Friedlander says.
The following strategies can help:
- Drive safely: Avoid receiving any citations in the future if you want to improve your track record. Since many states tend to keep violations on record for at least three years, you will slowly be earning back safe driving status and any additional points or violations could further harm your driving risk profile.
- Participate in a defensive driving course: In general, it doesn’t hurt to participate in a defensive driving course if you’ve received a ticket, been involved in an accident or need to improve your driving behavior. In some states, taking this course through your local DMV is part of the process to dismiss a violation or reduce the number of points on your record. Additionally, taking a course can help you work on reducing your insurance rates over time. These courses demonstrate your commitment to being a safer driver.
- Take care of defective equipment violations: If you’ve been pulled over for a defective brake light or a burned-out headlight, you may be issued what’s known as a fix-it ticket. If you repair the faulty equipment within a given period, and proof is presented to the local authorities, the ticket is dropped. Don’t delay.
- Talk to your insurance agent: The path to driver forgiveness and lower rates may begin with your current car insurance agent. Some companies offer programs to help drivers reduce their rates over time or offer forgiveness for a first recorded accident. They may also have input on how to improve your record and can help guide your process.
How often should you check your driving record for errors?
Driving records are typically updated every 12 months and can be reviewed on request. In general, it may be a good idea to check your driving record for errors once every couple of years if you’ve received a moving violation. If you haven’t been ticketed or involved in an accident, the likelihood that you have an inaccuracy on your record is low and would be flagged by a car insurance company during a rate request. However, you can check your driving record at any point to see what’s listed on it.
MVR checks are often part of the background screening process for employers. They are pulled to determine driving behaviors and risk. However, because driving records are updated annually, you may have an MVR pulled that is not accurate — either with missing violations or violations that are set to be removed because they have aged out. It’s worth discussing this with a potential employer.
Do you have a clean driving record if you have a speeding ticket?
A clean driving record means your record is free of violations. If you have a speeding ticket, you don’t have a clean record. However, a speeding ticket doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to see higher insurance premiums or that you won’t get that driving job you want. Both insurance companies and potential employers have varying policies when it comes to a clean driving record. In most cases, one speeding ticket will not prevent you from getting a job or an insurance policy.
There may also be forgiveness policies you can participate in to reduce the impact of a future speeding ticket on your insurance premium.
In some states, you may also have a speeding ticket dismissed by participating in a safe driving program. Keep in mind this guidance is for those with one ticket — if you have multiple speeding tickets, your driving record will likely be assessed with higher risk.
Can you still get a good insurance rate if you have speeding tickets on your record?
That depends. As a high-risk driver with multiple speeding tickets, you’re likely looking at steeper insurance rates. However, if you’ve received multiple speeding tickets, but they’re over 10 years, your risk may not be assessed as high as if you received two speeding tickets in the last year.
According to CarInsurance.com’s data, high-risk drivers pay an average annual rate of $3,071 per year and drivers nationwide pay an average of 47% more annually – $850 – for car insurance than drivers without tickets on their records. There are insurance companies that offer affordable high-risk car insurance and shopping around can help you find the best policy for your needs.
How can you save on car insurance if you don’t have a spotless record?
Even if you don’t have a stellar driving record, there are ways to lower your insurance premium:
- Shop around: It’s always a good idea to shop your coverage yearly and to get quotes from at least three different insurers.
- Take a defensive driving course: Some states let you take a defensive driving course to remove a ticket from your record.
- Increase your deductible: If you can afford it, raising your deductible can substantially lower your premium. But only choose a deductible you can afford in the event you have to make a claim.
- Ask your insurer about discounts: Every insurer offers car insurance discounts. See what your agent can offer.
The bottom line
A clean driving record means you don’t have listed violations such as speeding or failure to stop infractions, accidents, DUIs or reckless driving violations. However, driving is not a predictable activity and mistakes do happen.
If you have a violation listed on your record, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to see double-percentage rate increases. In some instances, you can dispute your violation and work to remove it.
It’s worth knowing what’s listed on your record for accuracy and seeing the impact it has on your insurance rates.
Being proactive about keeping a clean record, or improving a less-than-perfect record, can ensure you’re not paying more than you should for car insurance.
Mark Friedlander
Director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute.Can you get a violation off your record?
“Some jurisdictions will remove a moving violation from your motor vehicle record if you take a state-approved driver safety course. This is very common for speeding tickets. However, you will still be responsible for paying the cost of the ticket and court fees. Additionally, your insurance premiums may still rise even if you complete the safety course.”
Resources & Methodology
Sources
- Hamilton County, Indiana. “Traffic Infraction Deferral Program.” Accessed June 2024.
- MVR Online. “Understanding MVRs.” Accessed June 2024.
- Putnam County Prosecutor. “Infraction Deferral.” Accessed June 2024.
- Texas Department of Public Safety. “Traffic Offenses.” Accessed June 2024.
- .New York DMV. “New York State Driver Point System.” Accessed June 2024.
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