Maryland makes the information publicly accessible online. Traffic citations are listed in court records.

The traffic citation records show personal information such as full name, address, gender, height, weight and birth date - prime information for identify thieves. The driver's license number is sometimes the same as a person's Social Security number and is also shown.

Maryland has never used Social Security numbers when issuing driver's licenses, but Virginia and the District have in the past.

Virginia stopped in July 2003, but drivers were able to keep their old licenses until they expired, which in some cases was not until this year, according to Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles spokeswoman Melanie Stokes.

Washington began offering drivers the option of having random numbers on their driver's license instead of their Social Security numbers in 2001, a DMV spokeswoman said. Washington stopped issuing licenses with Social Security numbers on them altogether after federal regulations banned the practice in 2004.

But Maryland's court records date back decades. Drivers from D.C., Virginia or any state that once used Social Security numbers on licenses will find their Social Security numbers online if they received tickets in Maryland.

A spokesman for the Maryland courts system was not immediately able to determine whether the number could be erased at the person's request.

People at risk of identity theft should check their credit history by requesting a free credit report from annualcreditreport.com, said Tami Nealy, communications director for LifeLock, which offers an identity-theft protection service for a fee.

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Information from: The Washington Examiner.