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Why did my license points go up?

On Behalf of | Jan 6, 2021 | Traffic Stops & Violations

Acquiring too many license points from traffic tickets will lead to undesirable outcomes like the suspension of your driver’s license and an increase in your car insurance rates. Obeying the state traffic laws helps keep your driving record free of points. Still, one day you might find that your record has more points than it should have.

You feel sure that you have not had any recent traffic convictions to account for your added points. As the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles explains, a few possibilities exist that may explain your uptick in points.

Your previous points have not expired

Lesser traffic offenses tend not to stay on your record for long. Driving on the sidewalk may give you three points lasting for three years. By contrast, a reckless driving offense could remain on your record for eleven years. You may have misjudged the time length of your points, thinking that they should have expired when they may have more years to go.

You have received a ticket from another state

You may have taken a trip into another state and a police officer pulled you over on a traffic offense. You decided to pay off the ticket and have not given the matter another thought. However, as the Virginia DMV points out, you can receive demerit points on your driving record even if you have acquired a traffic conviction in another state.

Your record contains errors

It is not impossible for your driving record to contain an error or two when it comes to your license points. You should not have to suffer from points that you did not acquire. You might need to examine your personal records to confirm that your previous traffic tickets and traffic convictions against you line up with the driving points on your record.

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