# Is a poor driving record an EMS career death sentence?



## Lil Medic (Nov 15, 2011)

Hey all, a fellow pupil and friend of mine just got his 3rd driving ticket. Unfortunately all of them were within a year and his license was suspended. He has it back now but he says he isn't sure if he should even continue to pursue a career in EMS! He's afraid his chances of employment, even volunteering, have gone to ZERO. All because of 3 petty driving tickets.

He is only an EMT-B but is pursuing paramedics. I want to know if a few tickets can really end a career like that? Will it keep him from paramedic school?? Wouldn't in a year or two, after school is done, he be eligible for hire? Is there any room for exceptions? Has anyone seen or experienced the driving record being such a problem?? I mean to me it seems that if for the next year he drives perfectly (he is a delivery driver now) that would be enough to prove himself. Thanks guys...


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## MedicBender (Nov 15, 2011)

What were the tickets for? It all depends on the service and the insurance company they use. I don't think it will keep him out of paramedic school though.


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## Lil Medic (Nov 15, 2011)

speeding I think... one was 20 over though


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## waterdog (Nov 15, 2011)

*gonna be tuff after screwing up with 3 in a yr.*

Bad luck or careless driving, just about kills his chances of getting a job.....driving record IS important......


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## Chief Complaint (Nov 15, 2011)

I wouldnt say that it kills his chances, but its going to make things much more difficult.  Around here they really frown upon bad driving records, and a license suspension is even worse.

He should take a couple of driving courses and at least he can get some points back on his license.


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## Lil Medic (Nov 15, 2011)

It will eventually drop off his record though right? I told him he could at least volunteer and do things like driving courses, finish school, and other things to boost his resume. By the time school is done it shouldn't matter, that's assuming that a few years of a clean slate will mean something though.


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## Handsome Robb (Nov 15, 2011)

I have far from a perfect driving record and have a job in EMS. Including a DUI-D 4 years ago, however the charges were dropped. I learned from it and cleaned up my act.

Many times it depends on the company's insurance not the company itself.


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## oneangryfilm (Nov 17, 2011)

If I may chime in, I have an accident on my record that I wasn't at fault for, and it occured two years ago. Is that something to worry about?


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## Handsome Robb (Nov 17, 2011)

If it wasn't your fault it shouldn't.


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## MedicBender (Nov 17, 2011)

oneangryfilm said:


> If I may chime in, I have an accident on my record that I wasn't at fault for, and it occured two years ago. Is that something to worry about?



They may ask about it, I've been asked about all the accidents I was involved in, but it shouldn't affect your employment at all.


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## firetender (Nov 17, 2011)

That's something your "friend" will have to take up with his/her local system.


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## medicnick83 (Nov 17, 2011)

In South Africa, 2011 has not been a good year for EMS.

I know of 3 accidents that have happened, and we talking just in the Western Cape of ambulance crashes.

2 accidents in 1 day and the 2nd accident I was on scene for.
The 3rd accident was the past weekend.

Now, I'm due to get driving authorization for Metro EMS (hopefully soon) and now I hear we have to write a test before we can do the driving test because of all the accidents and 'dings' and 'bangs' that the ambulances have suffered recently.


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## CHITOWNMEDIC (Nov 21, 2011)

*Too many tickets ?*

Naw, if you lived here in the Chicago area you could just apply at Midwest Ambulance in Skokie. They'll hire anything with a heart beat, they've had EMT's flip a rig over and kept them on the pay-roll !:wacko:


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## Handsome Robb (Nov 21, 2011)

So I checked with our HR department. You can have 2 'minor' offenses and be fine for employment. 3 is pushing it but they can make it work depending on what's on your record. A minor offense is defined as a standard traffic ticket, mostly anything below reckless driving, this includes at fault accidents as long as DUI/Reckless didn't contribute to the cause of the accident. Any 'major' offense on your driving record disqualifies you from our insurance thus making you unemployable. Major offenses include reckless driving, DUI or anything rated above that on your driving record using the point system of the Great state of Nevada even if the offense occurred in a different state. If I can get a hold of the chart they use I'll post it but I doubt I can.


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## Aprz (Nov 22, 2011)

Yes it is.


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