There are many drivers on the road that are considered to be high risk. They are the habitual speeding ticket recipients, DUI offenders and others who make bad choices. Driving a motor vehicle has its own inherent risk factors. By choosing to compound those factors with negligent behavior often leads to accidents, arrests, citations and more. High risk drivers who are arrested for such behavior are often incarcerated; fined; have their license suspended or revoked; have insurance premiums increased; or can possibly even lose their job. 

The Impact of Speeding Tickets

Speeding tickets remain on your driving record for three years. Those who repeatedly get speeding tickets before older ones have lapsed are more likely to be deemed high risk. However, operating certain vehicles puts you more at risk of getting speeding tickets. Recent DMV record surveys indicate that Hummer drivers receive more speeding tickets than those who drive other vehicles. A ticket for exceeding the speed limit by up to 10 miles per or hour can result in 2 to 4 demerit points going on your driving record.

How Your Driving Record Impacts The Insurance Rates You Get

Insurance companies typically pull driving records when individuals apply for insurance or when the time comes for a change or renewal of the policy. The information found there is the basis of the insurance rate you are assigned. If you have demerit points for poor driving behavior you may find that you have become a high risk driver and that insurance is harder to come by. However, you can improve your record by taking drivers education classes to remove points.

Each insurer treats information found on your driving record differently. The weight given demerit points and other aspects of your record can vary greatly from one company to another. However, if your company raises your rates, expect them to remain that way for three years. If your driving record is worse than the insurer accepts, you will be deemed high risk and denied coverage. Because guidelines differ for companies, you may or may not find that all companies consider you high risk. If you are truly a high risk driver, as in the case of those with DUI convictions, you will need to get insurance quotes from companies that specialize in offering high risk car insurance.

The Impact of a Suspended License

If you lose your drivers license, it can affect your life in a variety of ways including interfering with your family obligations and possibly even causing problems in your career. Many jobs are contingent upon having a drivers license. If this is the case, a suspended license causes even more difficulties.

When your insurer learns that you have lost your license, your policy will be cancelled. This makes it even more difficult to obtain coverage when you need it again. Because of the cancellation and the suspended license you will likely have to go through a high risk insurance company in order to get coverage, which you will need to have in order to get your license reinstated.

The Importance of SR-22 Certification

A SR-22 Certificate is legal proof that you carry at least the minimum amount of liability coverage as required by law. You must provide this to the state in order to get your license reinstated. In addition, you should carry the SR-22 with you, so that if you are stopped by the police, you can produce it and avoid further complications. High risk insurers are familiar with this form and regularly issue it for their policyholders, who often need to have it for up to 3 years. Extra requirements such as this, and the risk presented by high risk drivers, contribute to such individuals having to pay higher than usual premiums. However, for most people car insurance is a necessity and therefore they must pay the consequences.

Tips To Improve Your Rates

In order to keep your rates as reasonable as possible, make sure that you have paid any moving violations that you owe, so they can be cleared from your record quickly. Take driver training courses to remove some of the violations from your record. You can also invest in a vehicle that is more safety conscious, less costly to insure and less likely to attract the attention of the police.

By putting these tips in place and shopping around carefully for coverage, you can succeed in keeping your car insurance costs as low as possible, considering your driving record.

Get Auto Insurance Quotes!