When you take driver’s education, you’re mostly just so excited to get your license that you naturally don’t absorb all of the valuable information. Of course, you learn how to take care of your car, defensive driving on the road, what to do in case of an emergency, and the ins and outs of traffic laws in California. But what you might not care much about is the traffic point system. After all, you’re just getting your license and aren’t planning on having any problems! Why would you be worried about penalties based on your driving?
But whether you’re a new driver in the state of California, a new driver entirely, or you’ve been driving for years and need a little refresher, it’s helpful to know how the traffic point system works.
The points on your license can directly affect insurance costs, so it’s valuable information to understand.
How Points Get On Your License
Not every single driving offense will grant you a point on your license. In California, if you get pulled over by a police officer and he gives you a ticket for a moving violation, you face having a point added.
A moving violation is not to be confused with a non-moving violation—both of which are pretty self-explanatory, but it’s worth noting the difference. A non-moving violation includes any offense that does not involve the motion or operation of the car. Parking tickets, fix-it tickets concerning the car equipment like broken lights, having tinted windows, or not having a front plate are all considered non-moving violations. Moving violations entail offenses that are committed by the driver while the car is in motion.
Some common 1-point violations include:
- Disobedience to traffic signs/controller
- Use of two-way left-turn lane
- Driving on sidewalk
- Load obstructing driver’s view
- Driving in a bicycle lane
- Illegal passing
- Maximum speed 70 mph
- Marijuana or open container/driving
- Illegal movement/green light/arrow
- Prohibited use of freeway
Some common 2-point violations include:
- Driving wrong side/divided highway
- Hit and run/injury/property damage
- Speed over 100 MPH
- Reckless driving
- Driving while suspended/revoked
For a detailed list of point violations, see the California DMV’s website.
How Long Points Remain On Your License
Points don’t stay on your license forever, but depending on the severity of the offense they can remain there for several years and even up to a decade. Most single-point convictions will only remain on your record for three years, as well as a speeding ticket. Offenses like an illegal turn, not coming to a complete stop, or driving over the speed limit will stay only for three years. A DUI or hit-and-run, however, will remain on your license for ten years.
Accruing Too Many Points
So you’ve got a point on your license—now what? Well, if it’s your first point ever, you don’t have too much to worry about at the moment. However, you should be aware that you can eventually have your license suspended in California if you get too many points altogether. At that point, you are then labeled a negligent operator by the Department of Motor Vehicles and they can suspend your license. For this reason, it’s highly recommended to try and prevent any and all points from going onto your license.
If you get:
- 4 points in one year
- 6 points in two years
- Or 8 points in three years
then the DMV will suspend your license for 6 months since you have gotten too many points. In order to avoid this happening, you need to plan ahead so that you can try and get points taken off your license. Even if this is your first minor offense on your license ever, preventative measures are key to ensure that you don’t ever get your license suspended!
How To Remove Points From Your License
If you’ve got some points on your license, it’s important to know that you have options. You aren’t just stuck with those points, and you can do a few different things to have points removed and wiped from your record.
Many people think that simply paying the fine will prevent the points from going on your license. This is not the case! By paying the fine you are simply pleading “guilty” to the ticket, and this will not only increase the points on your license but increase your insurance rate as well. It’s much better to do whatever you can to avoid these points going on your record, like fighting the ticket or doing traffic school if you’re eligible.
You must first find out if you’re able to remove points from your license. Only certain violations can be considered. Misdemeanors, alcohol-related violations (DUIs), violations with a mandatory court appearance, or violations with a commercial vehicle and/or license are all unable to be removed from your license. If your moving violation does not fall into one of those categories, then you are able to try and get the points removed!
- Option 1: appeal to the court. It is possible to successfully appeal against the offense you’ve been charged with, especially if the authorities don’t have sufficient evidence against you. You may experience a little more luck and compassion if you’re a first-time offender and have an overall great track record as well. You can try to base your defense on the fact that you’re a driver with a safe driving history and that there could have been some kind of human error when recording the offense. It’s a long shot but could be worth it for first-time offenders.
- Option 2: wait. After a period of time, the points on your license will disappear. This is a passive action, though, and one slip-up and you’ll end up with another point on your license—so drive carefully!
- Option 3: take traffic school. Depending on the violation and the court order, you may be eligible to take a DMV-approved traffic school course. These classes will refresh you on the rules of the road, and once you’ve completed it within 90 days then the point violation will disappear. This is the most guaranteed way to remove a point from your driving record.
What to Look for in Online Traffic School
Traditional California traffic school will last 8 hours. However, if you choose to take it online, there are no course timers, so you can finish the course as fast or as slow as you’d like. Most drivers can finish the course within 2 hours without any problems.
Here is what you should consider when looking for an online traffic school:
- Years of operation and accreditation: Reliable online traffic schools should be in operation for about 5 years. It would also be better if they are awarded an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Before enrolling in the course, double-check if the school is state-approved in California. Otherwise, your court will not remove your points.
- Reliable 24/7 Customer support: Go for an online traffic school with 24/7 customer and technical support through methods such as email, live chat, or phone. From our experience, one of the most customer-friendly online traffic schools is iDriveSafely.
- Immediate Certificate filing: Go for a school that ensures automatic certificate processing and filing. Schools like Aceable and Go To Traffic School have a clean record for same-day certificate filing.
- Money-back Guarantee: Ensure that the course you are enrolling in is risk-free. Most online schools will offer a full refund if you’re not satisfied with the course.
- No hidden fees: The worst thing about online traffic schools are those sneaky hidden fees! Go for a school like Improv Traffic to get all these features at a base rate and absolutely no hidden fees.