Check Motor Vehicle Records

You are responsible for making sure all drivers who transport students in your school district are safe and responsible. You can do this by checking your drivers’ motor vehicle records, or MVRs, which are available through the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation at no charge. The CM Regent Risk Management department recommends that you obtain MVRs for all prospective drivers and annually for all who transport students. For drivers who do not transport students, you should check their MVRs every three years.

An individual’s driving record becomes marginal or poor if one or more of the following exists:
• Three or more accidents (regardless of fault) in the last three years.
• One or more major offenses in the last three years.
• Any combination of accidents and serious traffic offenses equaling four or more in the last three years.

Major offenses include:
• Driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.
• Refusing to submit to chemical testing.
• Leaving the scene of an accident.
• Using a vehicle to commit a felony.
• Negligent homicide arising out of the use of a motor vehicle.
• Aggravated assault with a motor vehicle.
• Permitting an unlicensed person to drive.
• Reckless driving.
• Participating in a speed contest.
• Hit and run driving.

Serious traffic offenses include: All moving violations not listed as major offenses, such as speeding or failure to yield.

You should be applying these guidelines uniformly to all drivers and distributing this information to all employees operating motor vehicles in your district. Every employee should fully understand the consequences if their driving record becomes marginal or poor.

How MVRs affect your district
When there is an accident or other serious violation while an employee or contract worker is transporting students, authorities immediately check the driver’s MVR. If the MVR indicates the driver is marginal or poor, the school district’s liability for that accident increases. Parents, staff and community members expect you to make your hiring decisions based on the children’s best interest, and that includes checking the MVR.

To check an individual’s MVR:
1. Visit www.dmv.pa.gov.
2. Click on the “Information Centers” tab, then click on “Business Partner.”
3. Click on the “Online Driver History Request Service for Business” link under the “Resources” section.
4. Click on the “Government Agency Internet Application/License Agreement” link to access the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Form DL-9002, Internet User Application/Licensing Agreement for Government Agencies.
5. Complete the form and notarize and submit it.

For more information about risk management, visit cmregent.com.