No one wants to see their driving record marked by traffic violations. A record with multiple instances makes police officers more suspicious, increases penalties for future violations, and increases car insurance rates.
You might feel nervous when the police officer gives you a warning after pulling you over. However, do police warnings go on your driving record? Does it make a difference if it’s a verbal warning or a written one? How do they affect matters like your car insurance rates and legal status?
There are two types of police warnings: verbal and written. Only written warnings can appear on your driving record, and they don’t always do so.
Getting one or two police warnings shouldn’t affect your legal and employment status. They won’t cause your car insurance rate to rise, either.
However, too many instances of police warnings can lead to a traffic citation. And a citation is bad news for drivers.
Your driving record is usually safe if you receive a verbal warning. Instead of going through the process of filing a formal warning, the police officer chose to remind you to follow the law and drive safely.
Verbal warnings usually don’t appear on your driving record. They won’t affect your car insurance rate.
Don’t take verbal warnings as a “get out of jail free” card. If the same officer pulls you over for another traffic violation and recognizes you, they might issue you a more serious written warning.
Did the officer give you a written warning after pulling you over? Written warnings might appear on your driving record.
Written warnings are formal documents. When the police officer arrives at their station, they will file the matter with their department. Usually, the officer accesses your driving record and enters the warning.
Fortunately, written warnings aren’t citations. They might appear on your driving record but won’t result in a higher insurance rate.
Car insurance providers increase the insurance rates when they find a citation on your driving record before or during the time to renew the policy. Still, drive more carefully. If you accumulate too many warnings without changing your driving behavior, you’ll get cited, and your car insurance provider will hike your insurance rate.
Warnings are discretionary tools employed by police officers when dealing with people who have committed minor infractions or the first instance of an offense.
Police warnings come in several different types. Each type has a specific purpose and corresponding severity. Depending on the type, police warnings might affect the recipient’s driving record.
Here are the different types of police warnings:
A verbal warning is effectively scolding. Police officers issue it to drivers who have committed minor traffic violations or the first instance of an infraction.
When the police officer issues a verbal warning, they explain the reason for the warning. It serves as a reprimand to correct behavior without attached punishment.
The police department does not record and monitor verbal warnings. Only the officer who issued the warning and the driver will know the traffic violation.
Thus, verbal warnings are absent from the public criminal records database. Standard background checks don’t bring them up.
Verbal warnings also don’t have significant repercussions. Instead, they encourage drivers to behave without resorting to more serious warnings that require extensive paperwork. Thus, verbal warnings help deter more infractions in the future.
Written warnings are more formal and serious than their verbal counterparts. They’re usually issued to people who committed minor traffic violations or municipal offenses. The police officer responsible for issuing a written warning is also responsible for recording them.
Written warnings aren’t part of a criminal record. However, the police department that gave them out might keep them on file.
Generally, written warnings stay within the police department that issued them. Neither the public nor other agencies can get these documents. However, the police might consult the accumulated written warnings to determine if they should issue a more severe response to repeat offenders.
Traffic citations are official documents issued by a police officer that state an individual has been informed of violating a traffic law. They’re also called traffic tickets.
Citations are issued to drivers who commit moving and non-moving violations. They can also get issued for repeat offenders with multiple previous warnings who did nothing to correct their driving behavior.
Examples of moving violations that result in traffic citations include the following:
The following are non-moving violations that can get a traffic ticket issued:
Unlike warnings, traffic tickets usually have a penalty. Depending on the violation’s severity, the fine can range between $50 and $1,000.
Furthermore, tickets add points to the driving record. Having points on your record will lead to higher car insurance rates. If you get too many points, your driving license might get suspended.
Not all traffic citations will affect your driving record. Parking violations will show on your record but don’t indicate dangerous driving behavior. Thus, your car insurance rate should stay the same during risk assessment if your record only has parking tickets.
However, pay the parking ticket fine immediately. Some municipalities might bar vehicle registration, refuse to release state tax refunds, and suspend driver’s licenses if you have unpaid ticket fines. Your credit score might also drop, affecting your application for car insurance.
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.