Santa Isn't the Only One with a Naughty List

The National Driver Register

The National Driver Register (NDR) is a computerized database of information about drivers who have had their licenses revoked or suspended, or who have been convicted of serious traffic violations such as driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs. It functions under the control of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency of the Department of Transportation.

State motor vehicle agencies provide the NDR with the names of individuals who have lost their privilege or who have been convicted of a serious traffic violation. When a person applies for a driver's license, the state checks to see if the name is on the NDR file. If a person has been reported to the NDR as a problem driver, the license may be denied.

If you have not had a driver license cancelled, denied, revoked, or suspended or have not been convicted of serious traffic violations, you would not be listed in the NDR. Every individual is entitled, however, to request a check of the NDR records to determine whether they appear on the NDR file.

According to the NHTSA, the following are permitted to receive information from the NDR.

• Any individual under the provisions of the Privacy Act.
• State and federal driver's license officials.
• Current or prospective employers of motor vehicles operators.
• Air Carriers for Pilot Applicants
• The Federal Railroad Administration and employers of railroad engineers.
• The Federal Aviation Administration for airmen medical certification.
• The U.S. Coast Guard for merchant mariner certification.
• The National Transportation Safety Board
• Federal Highway Administration for Accident Investigations

If you want to see if you have a record.

You are entitled, under the provisions of the Privacy Act, to request a file search to see if you have a record in the NDR. It's not exactly easy to get. You must download theIndividual Request Form, complete it, have it notarized, and mail it to the NDR. (They do not accept faxed requests.) You can also take the completed form to your local motor vehicle agency and, for a small fee, they will send your request to NDR. In either case, NDR will send a response directly to you. You may get the form to download on the web at: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/perform/driver/pub/PRIVACY.PDF

If you are an employer and want to check your drivers.

As part of your safety program, you may request an NDR file check on a current or prospective employee if they are seeking employment or are employed as a driver. If the driver does not provide you with the form he has obtained, the employee may go to the local motor vehicle agency and ask for an NDR file check. You may find this form here: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/perform/driver/pub/form.pdf

This form should be submitted to the state in which the employee is licensed. Any information you receive from the NDR should be made available to the employee. If you receive information from the NDR indicating that an individual is on file you will be provided with the name of the state, the address and telephone number in order to request a copy of the driver record to verify that it is the same individual. Any information on the NDR file that was reported by the states during the past 3-years will be disclosed.