What Is Defensive Driving Online?

Most people intuitively understand what defensive driving online means.  It’s the practice of applying behaviors and actions intended to operate a vehicle in a manner that allows yourself, and others, to reach their destination safely. Often, when people ask “what is defensive driving” they are referring instead to the online driver safety courses, and how they work toward dismissing tickets.

More than 20 million residents of the US will receive a traffic ticket this year – about 1 in every 10 people. Some will receive several citations. For many ticketed drivers they face the grim financial realities that come with getting pulled over. This includes the, often hefty, cost of the citation itself and the likely increase of their annual insurance premiums.

Impact on Auto Insurance

In many cases, a traffic ticket can increase a drivers insurance premiums by as much as 20 percent, per year, for years to come. For many of those drivers, however, there are options to keep those points from affecting their insurance rates. One of those options is taking a state-approved defensive driving (or traffic school) course. Like Defensive Driving For Dummies, many now offer the convenient option of attending the courses online, starting and stopping the program as convenient.

Online defensive driving programs are available in most states including Texas, Arizona, New York, Florida, California, etc… While every state (and in some cases regions within a state) have different rules and requirements for providing courses, their intent is the same: to deliver education on common rules of the road and areas known to have a higher rate of accident (ex: texting while driving).

Safe Driver Insurance Discount

In a recent survey, 67% of respondents were not aware that taking an online defensive driving course, in most cases, could save them as much as 10 percent on their insurance premiums – even if they didn’t have a citation. A number of large auto insurance providers, recognizing the value in teaching and relearning safe driver practices, offer their customers relief on their premiums for taking (and passing) a defensive driving program.

Note: These safe driver discounts are not universal. Drivers interested in learning if their insurance provider offers a discount are encouraged to contact them directly or call us at 1-800-875-4409.

Visit our Drivers Knowledge Library to learn more about When To Dismiss or Fight A Ticket.