Driving Records Answers

• Can I go to traffic school to remove an old ticket from my driving record?

  No, you cannot go to traffic school to remove an old ticket from your driving record. Traffic school is intended only for current citations that have not yet appeared on your driving record. Purpose of Traffic School From the standpoint of the DMV, the purpose of traffic school is to reconcile a ...

• How long does it take to remove a ticket from my record after I finish traffic school?

  Tickets and Traffic School In many states, a ticket never appears on your official driving record until after you’re given the opportunity to appeal it or expunge it permanently by attending traffic school. Some states do not offer this option; check with your state DMV or county court sy ...

• Will traffic school remove an accident from my driving record?

  Traffic School and Violations No, traffic school will not remove an accident from your driving record. However, if you were cited for a moving violation related to your accident, you may be able to expunge it from your record by attending traffic school. Traffic school is permitted by most state ...

• Will the traffic school notify the DMV that I attended?

  Schools Will Notify Yes, the traffic school is required to notify the DMV or court system that you attended. However, it’s a good idea to submit the certificate of completion to the DMV yourself to make sure it gets done in a timely manner. Traffic schools are sanctioned by the DMV or cour ...

• What happens if I fail traffic school?

  Failing Traffic School It depends on the circumstances. If you fail traffic school while trying to expunge a citation from your driving record, the DMV will not remove the citation from your record. If you fail traffic school that was a requirement of some driving-related conviction, you will ei ...

• Why did the DMV say I’m not eligible for traffic school?

  Reasons for Ineligibility There are a number of reasons why the DMV may have said you are not eligible for traffic school. Your particular citation may not qualify for traffic school; you may already have attended traffic school for another citation recently; or you have exceeded the time limit ...

• Can I fire an employee for something in their driving record?

  Firing Is Possible You can fire an employee for something in their driving record if the item amounts to a legitimate cause for dismissal and/or violates their employment contract. One example is a company driver who receives numerous traffic offenses or gets convicted of a DUI. Questions about ...

• Do I have to tell an employee I’m ordering their driving record?

  Permission Required Yes, whenever you’re conducting a background check of any kind, such as a driving record search, you must not only tell the employee first, you must get their permission. The federal law that deals with employee background checks is the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The Ac ...

• Will my car insurance go up even if I attend traffic school?

  Citations Kept Off Record Your car insurance usually will not go up if you attend traffic school. In fact, the purpose of traffic school is to keep citations off your driving record so that your insurance company doesn’t find out about them. When you receive a citation for a standard movin ...

• Can I retake the test if I fail traffic school?

  Up to the School That depends on the traffic school. Many online traffic schools allow you to retake the test as many times as you need to in order to pass. Most traditional in-person traffic schools do not allow you to retake the final test. One of the considerations you need to remember when s ...

• Can I access employee driving records after they start working for me?

  Employee Driving Records Access Whether you can access employee driving records after they start working for you depends on your state, the nature of the job, and your contract with the employee. Some states do not allow for employers to access driving records unless driving is a requirement of ...

• Do I need to ask an employee’s permission before I screen their driving record?

  Permission Needed Yes, federal laws require you to obtain permission from an employee before conducting a background check, which includes driving records. However, you can make background checks a mandatory condition of employment and are permitted to make an adverse hiring decision on any pros ...

• Do I need permission from a job candidate before I access their driving record?

  Permission Required Yes, federal law requires that you as an employer obtain permission from a job candidate before conducting a background search that may or may not include a driving record. Sometimes Not Permitted In some states, however, you won’t be able to get access even with their ...

• Am I required to screen a person’s driving record before I hire them?

  Screening Driving Records Generally, employers are not required to screen a person’s driving record before they hire them. However, there are some jobs where clean driving records are mandatory. In other cases, driving records are optional but recommended before hiring a job candidate. For ...

• Does a criminal record contain speeding tickets and accidents from a driving record?

  Criminal and Driving Records No, a criminal record does not generally contain speeding tickets and accidents from a driving record. However, a criminal record will contain any driving-related convictions, such as DUI and DWI, that are also found on a driving record. Criminal records and driving ...

• Can I dismiss a job candidate because of something I find in their driving record?

  Dismissing Applicants Your ability to dismiss a job candidate because of something you find in their driving record depends on the job description, the reason for dismissal, and the laws in your state. If the job entails driving, you can certainly dismiss a job candidate for having a poor drivin ...

• How can driving records help me when I’m screening employees?

  How to Use Driving Records Driving records can help you in the employee screening process by helping to reduce your risk. Driving records will tell you which job applicants have a responsible driving history and which applicants do not, which you can then use to weed out risky applicants and imp ...

• Is accessing somebody’s driving record without permission a crime?

  Sometimes Against the Law In some cases, accessing somebody’s driving record without permission is against the law. However, it would probably qualify as a civil matter and not a criminal offense. Driving records are public records and are by definition not private. What that means is esse ...

• What can I do if someone accesses my driving record illegally?

  Civil or Criminal Matter That depends on whether the activity is a civil matter or a criminal action. A civil violation would require you to take civil action in return, which usually means filing a lawsuit. A criminal action should be brought to the attention of authorities. Because driving rec ...

• Are driving records used for bulk mailings?

  Privacy Laws and Driving Records Yes, driving records are one source of personal information that marketers use for bulk mailings. However, privacy laws restrict when marketers are permitted to access this information on your driving record. If you’ve ever had your mailbox stuffed with uns ...