A car accident can have long-reaching impacts on your life. During the immediate aftermath of an accident, your chief concerns typically focus on enduring medical procedures, getting through the pain, and following your doctor’s recommendations to recover or gain the maximum level of medical improvement for your condition. You may also focus on repairing or replacing your damaged car so you can get back on the road. Finally, recovering compensation for damages such as property damage costs, medical expenses, and pain and suffering is often at the forefront. For many car accident victims, it isn’t until weeks or even months after an accident that they begin to ask common questions about the after-effects of an accident such as, “How long does a car accident stay on my driving record in Washington?” A car accident attorney in Marysville is here to help.
Understanding Car Accidents and Your Washington Driving Record
The Washington State Department of Licensing and the Department of Motor Vehicles keep detailed driving records for all Washington’s licensed drivers. This includes information on traffic violations, convictions, license suspensions or revocations, deferred prosecutions, employer declaration exemptions (for interlock breathalyzer devices), and collisions.
A Washington resident’s driving record is available for review by law enforcement, the criminal justice system, government agencies, school districts, potential employers, insurance companies, and the individual named on the record as well as their attorney.
How Long Does an Accident Remain On My Washington Driving Record?
For most drivers involved in collisions or other car accidents, the accident remains on the record and visible to those with authority to access the record for five years. For some individuals, the state extends this duration. A commercial license holder involved in an accident will have the accident remain on the record for ten years, regardless of who was at fault. Also, anyone convicted of a DUI offense who caused an accident while under the influence of alcohol or other substances will have this remain on their record permanently. DUI convictions cannot be expunged from a driver’s record. A Marysville drunk driving accident attorney is here for you.
Can I Expunge an Accident From My Driving Record If My Accident Did Not Involve a DUI?
A Washington resident may access their driving record or request a paper copy. If a traffic violation or accident erroneously remains on the record past five years from the date of the violation or accident, they may report the error to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and request the removal as prescribed by Washington law. It’s also possible to expunge an accident from the record by requesting the clearing of an accident by submitting a request detailing your reasons for seeking an expungement. This process may also require petitioning the police organization that handled the accident. An expungement request also requires fingerprinting at a law enforcement agency with a fingerprinting fee.
Filing an expungement request to remove an accident from your Washington driving record does not guarantee success. Representation by an experienced Marysville personal injury attorney can help you learn your rights and responsibilities after a car accident in Washington.