Getting pulled over doesn't automatically mean you get a ticket. Cops will often issue warnings for pretty minor stuff, like going 5-9 mph over the limit, expired registration tags or taillights out.
Whether that warning actually matters to you depends on the type. Verbal warnings leave no record at all. Written warnings, get logged in the police departments database that issued them. They won’t show up on your MVR or increase your auto insurance rates.
What's the Difference Between Verbal and Written Warnings?
A police warning is a formal or informal reprimand for minor traffic violations, often given to first-time offenders instead of a traffic ticket. There are two types of warnings, verbal and written, with key differences in how they are documented and their impact on a driver's record.
A verbal warning is an informal caution given by an officer where no official documentation is filed with the police department. So it doesn't show up on your driving record, doesn't impact your insurance rates, and is only known to you and the officer. While it carries no legal consequences, repeated infractions may lead to stricter enforcement in the future.
A written warning is recorded and filed with the issuing police department so officers can track previous warnings. A warning ticket includes the traffic violation, the officer's name, and the location of the incident. While some written warnings may show up on a driver's record, they generally don't carry fines, points on a license, or insurance rate increases.
Does a Warning Go on Your Driving Record?
Written warnings won't impact your car insurance rates. What really matters to insurers like Progressive, State Farm and Geico are speeding tickets and other at fault accidents. Those types of infractions are what gets taken into account when your premiums are being calculated. If you get a moving violation, you're looking at a 25% rate hike on average according to industry standards.
When you get a quote or renew an auto insurance policy the insurance company pulls your motor vehicle record, or MVR, from your state DMV. That's a report that reveals all the citations, accidents, and whether your license has been suspended, but not written warnings. In Illinois, the Secretary of State keeps MVR records for 4 years for standard infractions. In California and Texas they keep infractions on your record for around 3 years.
Insurance companies aren't really concerned by a single warning. What they are concerned about is when an officer may decide to turn what would normally have been a warning into a ticket.
What Does Go on Your Driving Record?
While warnings don't count as something that gets recorded on your MVR, there's plenty of other infractions that do. This includes moving violations like speeding tickets and running red lights. If you're in an accident and are at-fault, that'll be on your record too, regardless of whether or not you got a ticket.
Just be aware that DUI and DWI convictions stay on your record for a pretty long time depending on the state. DUI’s stay on your record for 5 years in Illinois for a first offense. In California a DUI will stay on your record for 10 years.
The number of moving violations matter too. In Illinois, they only count the number of moving violations. Three moving violations in one year will get your drivers license suspended. Texas also doesn't have a points system, but they will suspend your license if you get 4 moving violations in a year.
When Would You Get a Ticket vs. a Warning?
It's up to the officer to decide whether to give you a warning or a ticket. Serious infractions like impaired or reckless driving will almost always get you traffic citations, while minor infractions will get you a warning. However, repeat infractions, excessive speeding, or other dangerous driving habits will increase the chances of getting a ticket instead of a warning.
A standard speeding ticket in Illinois costs $120 for 1-20mph over the speed limit. In Texas, fines start at $150-$200 for similar speeding violations.
Can Auto Insurance Companies See Warnings on Your Record?
Auto insurance companies can't see the warnings, usually. That's what the system is supposed to be. When they go to pull your MVR, what they get are the citations, DUI's, at-fault accidents and drivers license suspensions.
Written warnings stay right where they were written, in the local police department's database. They don't get reported to the state DMV, and there's no requirement for that to happen in any state currently.
How to Check Your Driving Record
If you're wondering what's on your driving record, you can usually get a copy of your MVR straight from your state's DMV. In Illinois, for example, you can request a copy from the Secretary of State's office for a pretty reasonable $12. Texas is a little cheaper at $4-$6 on the DPS website, while in California you can get an online record for $5.
Your MVR includes all of your recent driving infractions, like moving violations, at-fault accidents, DUI convictions, and license suspensions. It won't show you any warnings you've received. Checking out your record before you start shopping for insurance helps you understand what insurance carriers will see when they do a check on you.
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