The Importance Of Your Driving Record When Applying For Employment

The driving record is one of the most critical factors potential employers look at when hiring you. Employers don’t want to risk their company’s insurance rate by hiring a reckless driver. After all, this will put everyone on the road at risk and cost them money.

Keeping Your Record Up-To-Date

As more companies check pre-employment driving records before hiring one, it is essential to keep your document up-to-date. Unfortunately, while most DMV records are accurate, mistakes are common and could cost your job. Fortunately, most driving records are readily available online, and you can view them for free or a small fee.

Driving records contain various information, including the number of tickets and violations received. If you’ve had a lot of traffic violations, including speeding tickets, they will appear on your background check. If you’ve had a DUI, then you’ll be disqualified. Having multiple convictions for the same offense within five years is also a disqualifying factor.

Point System

States use a point system to track drivers’ driving records. Each violation is assigned a point value, with higher points awarded for more serious offenses. Minor violations, however, carry minimal point values. For example, failing to stop at a stop sign might receive two points, but driving 30 miles over the posted speed limit would be worth four. Points are also added for reckless driving.

The point system is not standardized across states. Some states, like New York, assign demerit points to move violations, while others don’t. Typically, the higher the point value, the greater the risk of getting a ticket.

On the other hand, if you have too many points, you risk having your license suspended.

Reckless Driving Convictions

A reckless driving conviction can harm your job prospects. It will remain on your record for up to ten years and cannot be expunged. This means that it will appear on any potential employer’s background checks on prospective employees. Therefore, reporting any reckless driving convictions to a potential employer is essential. In California, it is illegal for employers to discriminate based on reckless driving convictions.

A reckless driving conviction is a misdemeanor, but it can even be a felony in some cases. Therefore, if you have a reckless driving conviction, you may not have to report it on your employment application, but it will show up on your criminal record. This means that potential employers will know about it, and they have a right to ask you about it.

Expungement

An applicant convicted of a driving-related offense may seek expungement of their driving record when applying for employment. Expungement of your driving record is essential in improving your chances of getting hired. The court will consider various factors, including your age, type of offense, employment history, and drug use, as well as the adverse effects on the applicant’s reputation, livelihood, and future earning capacity. The entire process typically takes six to eight months to complete.

Fortunately, some states allow you to seek expungement for a driving record, although it may not be as easy as you think. In California, for example, you can request that your record be sealed or expunged. This can help prevent employers from finding out you’ve been convicted of a traffic violation or DUI.