VICTIG Compliance Tips – Driving Records with Accidents

Driving records can be a valuable tool in your employment screening or retention process—primarily if your applicant or employee’s essential job functions is driving. Needless to say, driving is not an exclusive requirement should you choose to evaluate with a driving record. Flying a plane, operating a construction crane, operating machinery that could pose a risk to others—you may decide with your counsel that it is a part of the screening criteria. 

 

If you have decided that driving records are a component of your due diligence, we can help you with the interpretation of what you receive from the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Some states have reporting language that is more in code than English. 

As you review any driving records you receive, keep in mind that if you see an “Accident” it does not necessarily mean that your applicant or employee was at fault. 

 

If you receive a driving record on your applicant or employee and it has one or more accidents, we recommend you do a couple of things:

• Determine if there was any violation associated/on the same date as the accident. 
• Regardless of the above, communicate with the applicant or the employee. Then go through your assessment. 

For all of our jokes and complaints about our state driving license departments, the records they keep are not bad and can be valuable tools with our protection and due diligence. 

 

If you are ordering driving records and have any questions, reach out to us and we’ll get you the answer. 

 

If you are not ordering driving records, and would like to discuss their value for your needs, please don’t hesitate to reach out.