Nobody's perfect. And that applies to your state Department of Motor Vehicles, as well. But their mistakes can affect you for a lifetime. One wrong letter in your name or one wrong number in your driver's license can give you a ticket that was actually written for someone else. You may go years without knowing anything about it if you are a careful driver. You may also have moved, be on a sabbatical, or be at school and receiving your mail elsewhere. Generally, your DMV mail is not forwarded, so if there is a problem with your driving record, you may not find out immediately. You can do a driving record lookup on your state DMV Web site. In some states, you can order a copy of the record online and have it in your hands within 2 or 3 days. That is the best way to insure that someone else's imperfections haven't made it to your driving record.