Driving History

The applicant's driving history will be examined.  Derogatory information such as, but not limited to, accident history, suspension history and violation history, whether arrested or not, will be evaluated on a case by case basis.

The investigator will complete a Department of Motor Vehicles records check on the applicant in addition to any traffic offenses that may be discovered during the criminal history check.

The applicant will be required to furnish the investigator with his/her current driver’s license number, state of issue and its expiration date. Any operator licenses provided by states other than the current state of residency will be required as well. The applicant will be asked if, other than for medical reasons, his/her license was ever refused issue and, if so, what the circumstances regarding the refusal were.

If automobile insurance is required in the applicant’s state, information regarding vehicle insurance will be required. The insurance information needed generally pertains to: the make and model of the insured vehicle, vehicle model year, the vehicle’s registration number, the vehicle insurance policy number and the insurance policy expiration date. The insurance company name, address and telephone number are also normally required.

The investigator will also need a detailed list of all traffic citations received. The length of time requested may vary from one department to the next, with some requesting citations going back only seven years while others may ask for any citations ever received.

If the applicant does have a citation, the investigator will need to know the following information: The nature of the violation, the month and year the violation took place, the city and state where the violation occurred and what type of action was taken against the driver, (i.e., none, fine or action taken on driver’s license).

Questions regarding any accidents the applicant may have been involved in will also be asked. Again, some agencies are only interested in accidents occurring within the previous seven years while others may inquire about any accidents the applicant may have been involved in as a driver. If the applicant had been in an accident, he/she should be prepared to provide the following: The date and location of the accident, whether a police report was generated, what law enforcement agency responded to the accident, and whether there were any injuries as a result of the accident.

The applicant will also be asked if, other than for medical reasons, he/she ever failed to pay a premium, ever been refused automobile insurance or a bond, or ever had any of them cancelled. If the applicant is able to answer “Yes” to any of these questions, he/she will be required to inform the investigator of the date and reason for the refusal/cancellation and the name and address of the insurance company involved.

The applicant will also be asked if he/she has ever been charged with willful failure to appear in court or if he/she has ever willingly refused to pay a fine on a traffic citation. If the applicant answers yes to these questions, they will be required to provide the date and reason for failing to do so.

The applicant will also be afforded the opportunity to detail any other information regarding his/her driving record that he/she may feel is important.

As in any portion of the police officer hiring process, the driving history phase of the background investigation may vary from department to department.