How to Recover Points on Your Driving License


Having too many points on your driving record could cause serious long-term damage such as an increase in your insurance premium. It can also lead to your license being revoked or suspended.

It is important to know how long points remain on your driving record. A judge cannot reduce points for convictions. However there are strategies that can assist drivers in recovering from having too many points on their driving record.

1. Take a Defensive Driving Course

A defensive driving course is an ideal win-win scenario it will make you a safer driver, while saving you money on car insurance. In New York, completing the course could result in a 10% reduction in the base rate of your liability as well as collision insurance premiums for a period of three years.

The course will provide you with valuable information about safe driving practices like maintaining the correct following distance, not driving too fast and dealing with difficult weather conditions. You can take the course either online or in person. Learning online is practical and adaptable. The six-hour course is divided into a series of shorter lessons, meaning you don't need to miss a full Saturday or a number of evenings to attend.

Accidents can result from reckless drivers, road obstacles and mechanical malfunctions. The defensive driving course will teach you how to recognize these dangers and can react in a safe manner. The course will also teach strategies to avoid the pitfalls of road anger, emotional stress, and fatigue behind the wheel.

No matter how experienced or inexperienced you may be, there is always something you can improve upon. You can improve your driving skills and avoid expensive fines and higher auto insurance rates by taking an defensive driving course.

You can go through the course at least every three years in order to maintain your insurance discounts and to remove points from your driving record. It is important to note that some New York zero-point infractions may be worth points in states where you have driving licenses.

To complete the defensive driving course, you will need to obtain a certificate of completion. The certificate must contain the date that the course was completed, the number of instructional hours and be certified by the instructor. You can download the certificate of completion from the provider's website or request it from the DMV. The DMV charges a small amount for the certificate of completion.

2. Contest the Traffic Ticket

Points on your driver's license can have a wide range of consequences, including higher insurance rates and even a loss in employment for industries that require drivers. It is usually more beneficial to fight the ticket, rather than send it in and plead guilty. However fighting a traffic violation is time-consuming and complicated that often requires an appearance in court and the submission of evidence. It is highly recommended that you seek the advice of a traffic lawyer who can guide you through this procedure.

You can plead not guilty to the violation at issue and request a court hearing. There are a number of different defenses that can be considered, based on the specific circumstances surrounding your case. For example, speeding defenses could include arguing against the accuracy of the speed measurement equipment, or presenting evidence that you did not exceed the speed limit that was set for the conditions at the time. Defenses for other violations, such as not yielding, could include proving that you actually gave the right of way or the police officer did not have proper visibility.

It is important to know that if you are found guilty of a traffic offense and receive a DRA penalty, the points will be added to your record even when you have completed a DMV-approved defensive driving course. The 18-month period of accumulation for points starts from the date of the original violation, regardless of when you are convicted.

Therefore, if you are fighting a ticket to avoid a DRA penalty, you need to act fast to increase your chances of success. A skilled lawyer may be able to reduce the number of points or dismiss the ticket entirely.

In the end fighting a traffic violation could save you money in the long run by keeping points off your record and possibly saving you hundreds of dollars in higher insurance costs. Contact a NY traffic lawyer as soon as you can in case you have any concerns about fighting a ticket.

3. Learn to drive safely

New York is one of the few states that permit drivers who have accrued an amount of points to avoid suspension of their license by completing a driver safety class. The Point and Insurance Reduction Program of New York (PIRP) requires that drivers who meet certain eligibility criteria take a driver safety course. This will prevent up four points that have been accrued over the last 18-months from being counted towards license suspension or higher rates.

The PIRP classes differ in the manner they are conducted, however they all provide six hours of educational material covering defensive driving techniques, driver attitudes and behavior, as well as the vehicle and traffic law. Drivers have the option of choosing between classroom-based and online courses according to their individual needs. After you have completed the course, your PIRP sponsor will notify the DMV who will deduct four points from the amount of your active points in calculating the potential suspension or the revocation of your license.

The reduction of points is only applicable to the driver's DMV record. It does not affect points imposed by insurance companies or cancel the mandatory license revocation or suspension for DWI, DWAI, or three speeding violations within a period of 18 months. It also doesn't reduce the number of points that affect the Driver Responsibility Assessment.

You must maintain an unblemished driving record, whether you take an instructor-led driver's course or contest an infringement on your license, to avoid your license being suspended or increased by your insurance provider or the DMV. If you require help in to keep your record clean our lawyers will review your options with you. Contact us now to get started.

4. Pay the Fine

When you receive a ticket for a traffic offense that attracts penalty points you will be required to pay the penalty to the local authority. The number of points that appear on your license will depend on the severity of the incident and the amount of time they remain on your record varies by state. In some states, a significant amount of points could cause your license to be suspended or even being revoked. The penalties for this could be severe, and a lot of people struggle to meet their financial obligations when their license is suspended.

Driver's License Point Systems are designed to assist states and insurance companies identify drivers who are at risk. Drivers who are ticketed and found guilty of specific violations, like speeding or reckless driving, using their cell phone while driving, or railroad crossing violations will be assigned points. In some instances, points could remain on your record for up to four years. This can influence the license you get and car insurance.

New York drivers who are found guilty of serious traffic violations or accumulate six or more points over an 18-month period are subject to severe fines or even license suspension. In addition, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will assess the driver's responsibility assessment. This is a cost you will have to pay over the course of three years. It is used to ensure safety on the roads, discourage repeat traffic offences and to lower insurance rates.

If you have too many points on your license If you have too many points on your license, the DMV could also decide to take actions. This will differ from state to state. In most cases the conviction of driving between 10 and one miles per hour faster than the speed limit can result in 3 penalty points being added to your record. In some cases however, for instance, the conviction of not being able to stop after an accident or reckless driving, you could be rewarded with 10 penalty points.

You can check your driver's license for penalty points at the DMV. You can create a code to share the information online. While you won't be able to remove penalty points completely, you may be able to eliminate some if you enroll in an defensive driving class or contest the ticket in court.