Are Driving Offences Recorded on DBS Checks?
If you have recently been offered a new job, you may have been asked by HR to complete a DBS check. Most jobs for a variety of roles, require DBS checks. DBS checks are checking for any past criminal history you may have and depending on whether you work with children or vulnerable people, the DBS checks if you appear on any barred lists. If you have a motoring offence, you will want to know if this is likely to affect your DBS check? You can find out more information below about this:
Would a Motoring Offence Be Important to Your Job Role?
It may be of more significance to your employer if driving is part of your job role, for example if you are a bus driver, taxi driver or van driver. It will also depend on what the offence was. Your employer will likely have policies in place that ask you declare things like points added to your license so that they can monitor the liability. If you are a person who is transporting children or vulnerable people, then you will need an enhanced DBS check to ensure that you are not on any barred lists and are safe and trustworthy to transport these people, but this is unrelated to motoring offences. For many occupations where you simply use your vehicle to get to and from work, minor motoring offences are not as significant to your employer.
Will Speeding Fines/Courses and Driving Through Bus Lanes Appear on a DBS Check?
For offences such as minor speeding (small amounts over the speed limit) or driving through bus lanes, typically these are classed as Fixed Penalty Offences and you would get a fine, a caution, points on your driving license and/or a mandatory responsible driving awareness course. These would not appear on a DBS check because they are not a criminal offence (but as mentioned if driving is a key part of your occupation, employment policies may require you to let your employer know).
DUI, No Insurance, Constant Speeding Can Appear on a DBS Check
If your motoring offence has led to a criminal conviction, such as Drunk Driving (Drunk Under the Influence, DUI) or if you constantly are caught speeding, or drive without insurance, then these can appear on a DBS check. If your driving offence means that you could go to prison, or are required to do community service, or if the offence has been recorded then it will appear on a DBS check.
Motoring offences can clear, depending on what age you were when you committed it. It can take up to 11 years to disappear from your record. But, if the motoring offence was exceptionally severe it will remain on your record forever.
Should I Tell a Prospective Employer about Speeding Offences?
This decision is entirely up to you. If your job is specifically about driving, then it would probably be a good idea to be upfront and honest, and your employer is likely to see your license with the points on anyhow. If you are only driving to and from work, and driving is not a key part of the job, the fact you went 4 miles over the speed limit once, may not be necessary to impart to your prospective employer, unless they expressly ask for that information.
To conclude, motoring offences that are minor and have not resulted in a criminal conviction, such as mild speeding or driving in a bus lane, will not appear on a DBS. But anything that has been recorded as an offence, will show on a DBS.
