In many states the motor vehicles department uses the “point” system to track your driving record. Generally each type of violations has its point value. When you break the driving rules, a correspondent point is added to your driving record. The more points you have, the worse your record is.
In most cases the auto insurance companies have right to check the driving record of any person who wants to get insurance policy from a definite company. This review has a double purpose:
* To determine whether you can be given a policy, i.e. whether you meet the standards of insurance company;
* To evaluate your potential risk, i.e. how much will your insurance cost.
Of course, your driving record may or may not influence on the insurance rates as different companies have different standards for their applicants.
The frequency of checks the records is also different depending on the company. Only few insurance companies have right to check your driving record every day. So, the number of checks will be rather low. However there are cases when your record must be reviewed certainly:
* When you firstly apply for coverage;
* When you want to change your policy;
* When you change the insured vehicle or add the vehicle to your present policy;
* When your policy needs to be renewed.
If the results of your driving record reviewing are negative, your insurance rate can be increased. To determine the amount of the increase companies use various “point” systems. But most of the insurers use the system based on the Safe Driver Insurance Plan. This plan is the list of different types of car accidents and moving violations, where the “point” value (from 0 to 4) is assigned to each type based on the severity of the incident. Accumulation of points according to this Plan, results in possible insurance rates increase.
It generally, it takes 3 years for car insurance rates to go down back after the violation. However if the accidents were especially severe these time frames can be prolonged. Whether you were found guilty in an accident or not, this will also influence your insurance rates.
But there are exceptions to this rule. For instance, if you attend driving school, the violations will be removed from your record. Motorists with clean driving record can expect lower auto insurance rates and a Good Driver discount.
However, sometimes it’s rather difficult to preserve the driving record clean ? there are different situations, you know. Even if you must accept a higher rate policy for the present time, you can work on improving your driving so that you can get better discounts on your automotive policy in the future. Here are some useful tips for those who want to correct their driving records and save money on insurance:
1. Always try to follow local speed limits. Speeding tickets are the main reason of bad driving record. Observing local speed limits and keeping up with the flow of traffic can help you to avoid penalties which add points to your license.
2. Be very attentive in construction areas. Traffic penalties for infractions that occur in an area undergoing road construction are higher than those in regular areas. Also in such areas always there are a lot of people working near the roads, so it is necessary to be especially careful to avoid a tragedy.
3. Try to stay calm in stressful moments in order to cope with unexpected traffic situations. Don’t be irritated with other motorist’s actions. Listening to music or audio books will help you remain at peace in your vehicle, even in such driving situations.
4. When you plan a distant road travel keep in mind that driving in different areas may involve long time delays. So leave yourself enough time. Knowing that you have plenty of time to reach your destination will prevent you from speeding.
5. Keep your vehicle in good condition. Regularly check all your headlights, fog lamps, brake lights, and other problem indicators so that they function properly. This will keep you safe and help you to avoid penalties.
Maintain a safe following distance behind other cars and trucks on the road. Give yourself time to react if the motorist ahead of you stops or turns suddenly.
6. May be you should become more experienced motorist? Then you can attend a defensive driving course to lower your insurance rates. Remember, that most insurance companies reward those who have taken such courses with lower rates.
Keep in mind that safe driving can save not only your money but also your life and lives of other people. Whether your driving record is good or bad there is always a chance to improve your driving skills. Let safety to be your number one priority, follow the simple rules listed above and you will be well on your way to a better driving record and better rates for your auto insurance.