Repairing Your Driving Record
Your driving record in British Columbia is a critical document that can affect everything from insurance premiums to job opportunities. It’s essential to understand how it works and how you can maintain a clean record. While your driving record is permanent, your driving abstract, which is what most people refer to when discussing their “driving record,” only covers the last five years. This means that, with time and effort, you can improve how your driving history is viewed by others.
Understanding Your Driving Abstract
Your driving abstract includes all convictions for traffic violations and infractions within the past five years. This is the document that insurance companies, employers, and other agencies will often look at to assess your driving behavior. Although a conviction will stay on your permanent driving record forever, it will drop off your abstract after five years. Therefore, maintaining a clean driving abstract is key to keeping your driving privileges and costs in check.
Tips to Keep Your Driving Record Clean
1. Avoid Infractions: The best way to maintain a clean record is to follow traffic laws diligently. This includes obeying speed limits, avoiding distracted driving, and ensuring your vehicle is always in compliance with safety standards.
2. Dispute Tickets: If you do receive a ticket, don’t just pay it without considering your options. Disputing tickets can prevent them from becoming convictions on your abstract. A driver might think they are guilty, but that is rarely the issue. The key is to consider your options, which leads to the next point: seeking legal advice.
3. Seek Legal Advice: Contacting a lawyer is free, and an experienced traffic lawyer can handle your ticket from beginning to end. Professional legal help can make a significant difference in the outcome of your case. Lawyers know the intricacies of the law and can provide the best defense strategies, often getting tickets reduced or dismissed.
Focus on Your Driving Abstract
While you should be aware of your overall driving record, your driving abstract is the immediate concern when it comes to insurance rates and other assessments. By disputing tickets and avoiding new infractions, you can gradually repair your abstract, making it more favorable over time.
Got caught? Call us. We’re the BC driving lawyers, and we have been defending traffic tickets for over a quarter of a century in BC. Let us help you repair your driving record and keep your driving abstract clean.