Lead-Foot Drivers

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding plays an intricate part in 1/3 of all crash-related fatalities, each year. In an effort to slow some drivers down, states are attempting to create stiffer penalties for drivers with excessive moving violations. There are over 40 million speeding tickets written every year, so reckless drivers are being hit where it hurts...in the wallet. Hopefully, by paying higher costs for citations and insurance premiums, some lead-foot drivers will take it easy on the gas pedal.
  
  

Driving Perks

• Obeying the speed limit does have its perks. Not only does it save you money every month, but it also provides a little breathing room when you accidentally mistake the red light for a yellow one. In addition, most reputable insurance companies will allow one moving violation for every 3 years of blemish-free driving. A citation every 3 or 4 years is reminiscent of a responsible driver, so the insurance premium should remain the same. However, this can vary from state to state. Each state actually has governing laws declaring why and when insurance companies can change the rates of its policyholders. An insured driver with an excessive amount of speedy tickets, two or more, will more than likely file a collision claim with his insurance company, as well. Numerous moving violations is an automatic red flag for insurance companies. A higher insurance premium piggybacks each new citation and every infraction can cost the driver hundreds or even thousands, of dollars every year, based on the severity of each speeding ticket.
  
  

Point System

• Some tickets are more grim than others. Each state gives specific points for particular infractions. An increase in driving points equates to an increase in your insurance premium. If a driver accumulates too many citations within a given time frame he can actually have his license suspended. For instance, a driver who is caught driving 15 mph over the speed limit will receive 5 points, but a driver who is caught at only 7 mph may only receive 3 points. The Department of Motor Vehicles is responsible for monitoring the records for each driver, but warning letter are sent to drivers suggesting they exercise better driving habits.
  
  

DMV Records

• A DMV record should be treated the same as a credit report. It may contain errors so it should be check annually. An insurance company base its costs on what shows up on a drivers DMV record, so it's is worth the $5 charge to insure all the information is accurate. In addition, if you drives for your workplace or have a CDL license then it is very important that you abide by all traffic laws, because the records are checked annually.