What Employers Need to Know About Driving Records
Driving records are an integral component of safe on-the-job driving. Find out what you need to know about them as an employer here.
What is a Motor Vehicle Record?
A Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) is a driving record search that pulls data from the state Department of Motor Vehicles and is available in all 50 states. Although the exact information collected varies by state, these checks generally reveal the documented history of someone’s driving status, violations, accidents, and other driving-related offenses. Read on for more details about how long they take, lookback periods, and disqualification standards for drivers.
What shows up on a driving record search?
Driving record searches can uncover information related to a person’s driving history. This typically covers license information and status, traffic violations, and major offense convictions. Below are a few specifics:
License information
MVRs often divulge an individual’s license class in addition to any suspensions, revocations, cancellations, endorsements, and restrictions incurred.
Traffic violations and major offenses
Driving offenses uncovered in an MVR search may include reports of citations, accidents, driving record points, and vehicular crimes such as:
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DUI
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Failure to maintain insurance
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Reckless driving
How far back does an MVR search go?
MVR searches vary in lookback period because driving records are maintained by state governments. Some examples of different search periods are Colorado, Nebraska, and Tennessee:
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Colorado offers a range of seven years to the lifetime history of the driver. The “full history” includes a check of Commercial (CDL) status.
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Nebraska’s standard driver history check delivers five years of records. Extended searches are also available that include major violations that are fewer than 55 years old.
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Tennessee typically runs records from the past three years. Extended ten-year checks are also available that include the same type of information.
How long do traffic violations stay on your driving record?
Traffic violations stay on your driving record as long as allowed by the reporting state’s statute of limitations. While lookback periods vary, serious violations like DUIs may be reported for much longer. DUI.org reports that some states, like Alabama and North Dakota, increase their lookback ranges with subsequent offenses. Moreover, some states don’t limit the amount of time DUIs can be found, including Alaska, Colorado, Delaware, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Texas, and Vermont.
What is the difference between a driving record and a driver history report?
A driving record is a state’s file of a motor vehicle operator’s infractions, suspensions, tickets, and more. Driver history reports are summaries of this information from state databases for individual review or prospective employers.
Who maintains driving records?
Driving records are maintained by a combination of agencies:
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A state’s Department or Bureau of Motor Vehicles (DMV/BMV) compiles information on drivers from county DMVs and courts.
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The Commercial Driver's License Information System (CDLIS) allows state agencies to verify that commercial drivers have only one license and record.
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The National Driver Register (NDR) maintains the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS), a provider of “pointer” data for organizations to locate jurisdictions where applicable driver history is stored.
In addition to these groups, motor carriers (employers of motor vehicle operators) must maintain records for their drivers for one to five years. The exact length of time depends on the record type and information therein.
What information is needed to run a driving record check?
The typical information needed to run a driving record check includes:
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First and last name
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Driver’s license number and state
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Date of birth and SSN
On top of these, consent must be obtained and documented prior to the submission of information to the search provider.
Can driving records contain errors?
Yes, driving records may contain errors. As with any consumer report, there’s a chance that information may be inaccurate or incomplete. In such cases, the subject of the report has the right to dispute the information they perceive as incorrect and receive a free investigation into the dispute.
How can drivers dispute inaccurate information on a driving record?
Drivers can dispute inaccurate information on a driving record by submitting a form to the consumer reporting agency that performed the search. Supporting documentation, like court records or other relevant materials, should be included to assist with the correction of information. The agency must then conduct a reinvestigation and provide the results back to the consumer and employer within 30 days.
To learn more or report a dispute with Verified Credentials, please visit our Candidate Help Center >
What’s the difference between a certified and uncertified driving record?
Certified driving records are those that have received authentication by the DMV and courts, while uncertified records haven’t. Uncertified driving records may be cheaper and faster checks ordered through state DMV services, but due to their unverified nature, they can’t be used for business or legal purposes. Depending on location, these types of records may be restricted to a certain number of years, like in Arizona, or may cover a driver’s full history, like in the District of Columbia.
Why do employers check driving records?
First, employers must check driving records to adhere to regulations set by governing agencies:
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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that employers must “identify the likely hazards associated with drivers.”
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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), under 49 CFR § 391.51, mandates motor carriers to “maintain a driver qualification file for each driver it employs.” This file needs to contain a copy of the driver’s motor vehicle record.
Second, it’s recommended that employers run driving record checks regardless of regulatory requirements to support fleet safety. In part, this is due to on-the-job crashes being the leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. Each driver adds to the chances of accidents happening, but hiring safe drivers helps to reduce those chances. Driver history checks also have the added benefit of lowering interest rates since clean histories usually indicate lower risk profiles.
Which industries commonly require driving record checks?
Driving record checks are required in many industries. While commercial travel and delivery may be the most prominent examples, they’re far from the only industries requiring driving record checks:
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Education – Often mandated at the state level, school districts need to know that their school bus drivers can deliver students and faculty safely.
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Healthcare – State Departments of Public Health require ambulance drivers for the safe transport of critical patients.
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Construction & Maintenance – Equipment operators need to have clean records to drive on projects, per the FMCSA.
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Government – Federal departments within the U.S. typically only hire drivers with a proven track record of safe driving.
What laws regulate the use of driving records for employment purposes?
Two federal laws regulate the use of driving records for employment purposes: the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA).
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The FCRA regulates the use of information collected by consumer reporting agencies. The act denotes MVRs as consumer reports, meaning they require written consent to obtain and can be disputed.
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The DPPA restricts the dissemination of driver information by state DMVs. It stipulates that data must be used for legitimate purposes and provides a list of those.
What is continuous motor vehicle record monitoring?
Continuous motor vehicle record monitoring is a method of ongoing screening for employers. By connecting to a state’s DMV, driver records can be monitored on an ongoing basis. Monitoring employee driving records over time allows carriers to remain up to date on driver risk profiles and act accordingly.
For more information about proactive driver monitoring, read The Benefits of Continuous Driver Monitoring >
How often should organizations review employee driving records?
FMCSA regulations state that organizations must review employee driving records at the time of hire and at least annually thereafter. However, they also recognize that continuous monitoring enhances safety by keeping employers aware of changes in driver history. Following their recommendations, motor carriers are encouraged to combine initial searches and long-term monitoring for enhanced coverage.