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Does reckless driving affect your background check?
I was charged with reckless driving, which was a serious mistake—I had to pay a huge fine, and my insurance premium skyrocketed. Now I’m applying for a job and need to have a background check conducted. Does reckless driving affect your background check?
Sara Brody · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Reckless driving is indeed a big mistake, but it’s great that you acknowledge it. Reckless driving does appear on a background check in most jurisdictions.
While a few states still treat reckless driving as a minor traffic infraction, most are moving away from this practice. In the majority of places, reckless driving is a misdemeanor.
If you are pulled over and charged with reckless driving, you should follow these steps:
- Stay calm and be respectful to law enforcement to avoid further trouble
- Drive much more carefully going forward to avoid a second charge with worse consequences, including a potential felony charge
- Educate yourself on reckless driving laws to prepare for court
- Hire a lawyer to prevent the charge from escalating
- Attend your hearing and present compelling evidence while following your lawyer’s guidance
- Learn from the experience and don’t let it happen again
Unfortunately, the only way a reckless driving conviction would not appear on your record is if you have it expunged. This typically requires hiring a lawyer and going to court.
With marks on your driving record, you’re sure to be paying an elevated rate for
car insurance
. Go to Jerry
to find a better-priced policy.Jerry scans quotes from more than 50 top insurance companies and delivers the best deals straight to you. The average user saves $887 per year.
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- Gregory R.
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Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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