{"id":28611,"date":"2021-04-14T08:00:32","date_gmt":"2021-04-14T12:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rhinolawyers.com\/?p=28611"},"modified":"2026-05-27T16:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T16:37:09","slug":"how-long-does-a-car-accident-stay-on-your-record-and-affect-insurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.rhinolawyers.com\/es\/how-long-does-a-car-accident-stay-on-your-record-and-affect-insurance\/","title":{"rendered":"How Long Does a Car Accident Stay on Your Record and Affect Insurance?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/p>\n[wp-video-popup hide-related=”1″ video=”https:\/\/youtu.be\/yKBz8Lzb9bQ”]\n<\/div>\n

Each year there are an estimated\u00a06 million auto accidents<\/a> in the United States.\u00a0But what happens with your auto insurance after an accident occurs? And how long does a car accident stay on your record as a driver?<\/p>\n

It can be intimidating not knowing what will happen after you are in an auto accident. But you’ve come to the right place for answers to those questions.<\/p>\n

Continue reading and you’ll learn all about how an\u00a0auto accident<\/a>\u00a0affects car insurance rates, as well as how long an accident will stay on your car accident record.<\/p>\n

Importance of Your Driving Record<\/h2>\n

Every driver knows that your driving record is crucial for a multitude of reasons.<\/p>\n

Your driving record is the primary tool that insurance companies will use in order to determine what your car insurance rates will be as well as the cost of your premium.<\/p>\n

There are other factors that play into your insurance costs, like your zip code and your credit score. But your driving record is the largest determining factor for what you will be paying.<\/p>\n

The more accidents and traffic violations you have on your driving record, the more\u00a0your insurance will cost<\/a>\u00a0you every month.<\/p>\n

If you have been in a significant number of accidents or have a lot of violations you may even end up being categorized as a “high-risk” driver.<\/p>\n

If that is the case, your insurance company might require that you get non-standard insurance.<\/p>\n

Conversely, if you have a clean driving record you might qualify for cheaper rates and discounts as a reward for being a safe driver.<\/p>\n

The good news is that even if you have accidents or violations on your driving record, it isn’t forever.<\/p>\n

After a certain amount of time (usually 3-5 years) your violations and accidents will drop off and you will have a clean record. At that point, your insurance will no longer be affected.<\/p>\n

How Long Does a Car Accident Stay on Your Record?<\/h2>\n

Any driver with a drivers’ license has a motor vehicle record or MVR. A motor vehicle record catalogs any accidents you may have as well as speeding tickets or other moving violations.<\/p>\n

Luckily these incidents won’t stay on your record for eternity. The length of time that they remain on your record depends on how severe the accident or violation was, and the laws of the state that you live in.<\/p>\n

Each state has its own Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), and each DMV has its own policy regarding accidents and violations, and the length of time that they will remain on your driving record.<\/p>\n

A lot of states utilize a\u00a0point system<\/a>, with certain violations causing you to accrue points. If you accrue too many points your license will be suspended and you will no longer be allowed to drive a motor vehicle.<\/p>\n

Take Florida for example. In the state of Florida, speeding will get you 3 points on your driving record. Failure to obey a traffic signal is worth 4 points, and leaving the scene of an accident without providing your information is worth 6 points.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0suspension system for points<\/a>\u00a0in Florida works like this:<\/p>\n