Dear dan_from_nm-ga;
Thank you for allowing me to answer your interesting question. I have
spent some 20 plus years in law enforcement and I happen to have some
insight into these types of issues. First, let me say that not all
accidents make it to one?s DMV record. Why? Well there are a variety
of reasons not the least of which is human error, oversight,
misplacement, or just plain laziness. Luckily for you, one or more of
these issues seems to have worked in your favor.
>>> How do I view this accident? i.e. do I have a "Clean Driving
Record"? (or, more to the point, how can I tell?)
For employment purposes if an application asks if you have a ?clean
driving record? the answer is ?yes?, You have, in good faith checked
the most reliable sources to determine the status and history of your
record and you have determined to the best of your ability that your
record is free of adverse notations. In the end you are assured from
the authorities that your record is clean so you may, in all honesty,
answer the question truthfully: You have no adverse driving record.
>>> Does it count as an accident for insurance or driving record purposes?
If there is no accident on your driving record there is no record of
an accident for insurance purposes. Insurance companies rely on the
same printout that is used by law enforcement agencies so if the law
enforcement agency didn?t submit it to the state then there is no
notation to see.
>>> Why doesn't it show up on my MVD report?
Who knows? Law enforcement agencies typically forward a copy of
accident reports to the state agencies. The accident is then recorded
in the state database, Criminal Justice Information Network (CJIN).
From there the reported would have been forwarded to New Mexico?s
NCIC/NMIC and the National Crime Information Center network (NCIC).
From here the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the NTSB, the state DMV
and others can retrieve the data on a records check.
So, as you can see, your data changes hands many times and
occasionally some records just don?t get entered for whatever reason.
I personally know of this happening on more than one occasion ? in
fact it happened to ME one time. Guess where? Coincidentally it
happened right there in good old New Mexico, but it happens in all
states, probably more frequently than the authorities would care to
admit. When this oversight happens, most people consider this a bonus
? I know I did. Do I have a clean record? You bet, because it was
never officially reported back to my state DMV.
>>> Where it would be recorded (besides police report)?
If an insurance company was involved more than likely this is the most
feasible place to look for information. However the insurance company
is probably have the same type of information (if not identical
information) that the law enforcement agency that investigated the
accident has, and little more. Beyond that, there probably isn?t any
other record if none exists on your official DMV record. If there were
it might also be recorded with the Iowa Department of Transportation.
You can contact them and see but I suspect if will not be there. It
might be worth a try though if you are determined to stir up interes
in your driving record:
For limited information regarding an accident, such as date, time,
specific location, and immediate facts and circumstances, contact:
Iowa Department of Transportation
Office of Driver Services
100 Euclid Avenue, P.O. Box 9204
Des Moines, Iowa 50306-9204
E-Mail: ods@dot.iowa.gov
http://www.dot.state.ia.us/mvd/ods/accidents.htm
>>> Any other information I need to know so I can explain the
situation to potential employers who ask "Have you ever been in an
accident?" or "Requires clean driving record".
Honestly, there?s nothing to explain. Consider yourself lucky. By
revealing only what you can officially produce ? which in this case is
virtually nothing ? you can only attest to what the official record
states: you have a clean record. Sure...you had an accident and the
police came and investigated it and reported it. The question however
is: "Do you have a clean driving RECORD"? Clearly the answer is yes.
DMV has already confirmed that for you by failing to find any
derogatory information. If every unofficial error were held against is
we?d all be penalized every time we exceeded the speed limit and we?re
all guilty of breaking the law and defiling our otherwise clean record
whether it gets reported or not. See what I mean? Most employers don?t
want to know everything you?ve ever done in your life ? they merely
want to know, for insurance purposes, if you are insurable for
liability reasons.
If you really WANT this accident on your record you should go to the
police department and ask them to dig up your accident report and make
sure they send it to the state so you will have it on your record and
be properly penalized for it (I don?t seriously recommend doing that).
Otherwise count your blessings and let it go. If the DMV say you?re
clean, by official state standards and for liability purposes, you ARE
clean?and that IS the truth, no matter what might have (unofficially,
as it now turns out) happened in the past.
I hope you find that my answer exceeds your expectations. If you have
any questions about my research please post a clarification request
prior to rating the answer. Otherwise I welcome your rating and your
final comments and I look forward to working with you again in the
near future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.
Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga ? Google Answers Researcher
INFORMATION SOURCES
Defined above
SEARCH STRATEGY
SEARCH ENGINE USED:
Google ://www.google.com
SEARCH TERMS USED:
IOWA
DRIVING
RECORD
DMV
ACCIDENT
DATABASE |