Points on Your Driver’s License

One of the most common questions we get from members is how many points will a given violation add to their driving record. It’s an important question, but it’s not the only one to ask after you get a traffic ticket. You also need to know how many points it takes to trigger a license suspension.

The answers to both questions depend on what state you’re in. This is because different states use different systems for assessing points against your license, and some don’t use points at all.

Traffic violation points systems assign a certain number of points for each traffic citation based on the severity of the offense. If you’re convicted of that offense, the points go on your driving record. Accumulate enough points, and you will lose your license.

insurers.” This implies that they are used by insurers in other states. Look at Rhode Island, for example, where it states that red-light camera tickets are “not to be used by insurers until there is a final adjudication of the violation.”

So, what can you do to minimize the impact of points on your driving record and your insurance rates? Here are a few tips:

• Learn how the point system in your state works. You can track that down on your state’s DMV website or start here.
• Request a copy of your driving record from your DMV and from your insurance company.
• Fight every ticket to the best of your ability.
• If you don’t win a dismissal, try to negotiate down to a non-moving violation or see if you’re eligible to take a traffic safety course as a way to remove points from your record.
• Check the language in your auto insurance policy which may spell out your carrier’s underwriting standards.
• Call your insurance provider if you have questions about the impact a specific traffic citation will have on your rates.

Reprinted from National Motorists Association.