Auto insurance providers take great care in researching the client they agree to insure. They have to weigh their risks; otherwise, they will not stay in business.

So, what can you do to convince them to provide great coverage with low premiums? Safe driving is the best place to start.

While it seems like a no-brainer, safe driving is beneficial in many ways. It will keep you injury-free and save your pocketbook when it comes to insurance.

Thanks to the fantastic safety features provided by car manufacturers, safe driving is a shared responsibility today.

Worried your driving record is permanently damaged? There’s still hope. You may be asking yourself, how long does an accident stay on my record?

There are steps you can take to remove points on your license or contest tickets in court. Read on to find out what you can do today to become or stay a safe driver.

Educate Yourself on Safe Driving

Look into safe driving courses. Not only will they teach you how to improve your driving skills, but they can also help remove points from your license. By taking a state-approved driver safety class, you can get moving violations removed from your record. 

Get to know your car. Get comfortable with all kinds of road conditions. Is your vehicle squirrely in the snow? Practice driving in an empty, snowy parking lot. What’s your brake response time? Don’t push your car’s limits, especially in the stress of the moment.

Face the facts about drunk driving. It may be possible to remove points and downgrade speeding tickets on your license, but DWIs are often non-negotiable. Sadly, the impacts of drunk driving are usually far worse than just increasing your insurance premiums.

Look at your insurance policy and compare your driving record. Make sure you find out how many years accidents stay on your insurance history and get that out-of-date accident off your record.

Use Your Vehicle’s Safety Features

The modern car market has listened to consumer demand for safer vehicles, and, boy, have they delivered. There are safety features to fit all budgets.

Electronic stability control, brake assist, and blind-spot warning are just a few of the improvements available today. Each of these features helps the driver prevent accidents, which would show up on a driving record. 

It is worth considering upgrading your vehicle for these safety features. While having a car with these features may not lower your monthly premiums by much, eliminating accidents will help your insurance in the long run. If buying a newer car seems impossible, research some tips on saving for a better vehicle.

Clean up Your Driving Record

Let’s say you’ve already racked up quite the driving record. Don’t despair. Here are a few tricks to clean up that record.

For non-driving offenses, you can correct the issue (let’s say a malfunctioning blinker) and bring proof of your correction to your local precinct. That can take care of the infraction. 

Each state is different, so make sure to research your state’s specific expectations, but it is possible to have your record expunged. Most likely, you will need to pay a fee and prove that a sufficient amount of time has passed or that you have taken safe-driving classes, but it may be possible. 

License points do not follow you to the grave; they do expire. But before they end up on your record, you can contest the points in court. You might not get the fine revoked, but showing up in court and talking to the judge can influence the judge to downgrade or reduce your violation. 

Did you get an out-of-state speeding ticket? Those are harder to negotiate. Avoid out-of-state violations. 

Safe driving will save you dollars when it comes to insurance, and it can save your life in the long run. Vehicle accidents are the leading cause of death in the U.S. for people aged 1-54. So take safety seriously, learn about and practice safe driving, look into car safety features, and strive for a clean driving record.