Every time you are found guilty of a driving offense, it goes on your traffic ticket record. Generally in most states as things are added to this record you receive points against your license. As these points accumulate you get closer and closer to getting a suspended license. Knowing your traffic ticket record can help you.

Whether you have a good or bad driving record, it's important to be sure and get a copy of your record from the DMV. This will let you see what your history actually is according to the legal records.

If you have a good driving record, this can help tremendously in court. There are two ways of using this to your advantage. If you want to try for an easy way of getting rid of a ticket, argue that you have had a good driving record and ask for traffic school. This can eliminate your ticket entirely in exchange for a few hours of class.

You can also show the judge that you have been a good driver and your ticket might have been circumstantial. For example, maybe you were pulled over for swerving across the road too fast. The officer saw this as poor driving and gave you a ticket. Maybe the officer didn't notice the objects in the road you were trying to miss. Your good record shows that you have been a safe driver for all these years building the credibility for your side of the story.

If you have a bad driving record, it's still good to know. If you are close to losing your license, it might be a good idea to hire a professional traffic lawyer because one more ticket might make it so that you lose your license entirely. It may be a good idea to see if your state has any other programs to help reduce the points against the license so that if found guilty, you have less chance of losing your ability to drive.