When you think of traffic school or driver’s ed, you probably imagine sitting in a classroom bored to tears. Maybe at one time, that was the reality. But now it’s possible to attend traffic class or driver’s ed online – all from the comfort of your own home with I Drive Safely.
I Drive Safely – sometimes written as IDriveSafely – is an online driver’s education course provider. Taking a course online is convenient because a driver’s education class can really eat into your free time.
Perhaps you’ve had a hard day at work, and the last thing you want is to sit in a driver’s ed classroom. Or maybe you’re a student whose idea of summer fun doesn’t include mornings spent in a course learning about traffic signs.
People need traffic courses for different reasons. And I Drive Safely offers courses that meet the various needs of different people.
I Drive Safely
With approvals in nearly every state in the U.S., I Drive Safely lets you drive safe with a driving school that brings you the most advanced, convenient driver safety courses and defensive driving courses available online.
You might need courses because:
- You need to reduce points on your driving record
- You want help passing your driver’s license exam
- You want to get a commercial driver’s license (CDL)
- You would like to lower your car insurance rates
- You want to become a better driver
- You received a traffic citation and want to clear your record.
Note that this provider’s courses are available in most states. However, not all courses are state-approved for court-ordered driving defensively classes, traffic school, and drivers’ education purposes.
If this provider doesn’t have what you need, there are options.
DriversEd.com is an I Drive Safely partner. When IDriveSafely doesn’t offer a specific course, they often recommend DriversEd.com. And Aceable is another online driver’s education provider worth considering. Those options are covered in more detail later.
Your State and Approved I Drive Safely Courses
Course approval varies – depending on your state. When you visit the homepage, you’ll see a drop-down menu that allows you to select your state. After selecting your state, there’s an option to choose the course you need. From there, you can see if your state approves the course.
For example, say that you’re a driver in Alabama who wants to have a ticket dismissed. You’ll see that some Alabama drivers can take the online Alabama Defensive Driving course to get a ticket dismissed.
However, only some Alabama courts approve of the courses offered. It’s essential to read the entire course description. If you fail to read the entire page, you could end up taking a course that doesn’t apply to you.
Upon reading the Alabama course description, you’ll see that the Covington County District Court, the Lockhart Municipal Court, the Daleville Municipal Court, and a few other locations are the only courts in Alabama that accept the course.
If you enroll in a course that your local court doesn’t accept, then you won’t receive credit for the course. And as a result, you won’t get your ticket dismissed.
If your court or county isn’t listed, then you can request approval. Contact your local district court, and explain you’d like to enroll in the Alabama Defensive Driving course offered by this provider. There’s no guarantee the court will approve, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.
I Drive Safely
With approvals in nearly every state in the U.S., I Drive Safely lets you drive safe with a driving school that brings you the most advanced, convenient driver safety courses and defensive driving courses available online.
For another example, take a look at Connecticut. Perhaps a Connecticut resident wants to take an online driver’s ed course. When you choose that state and course, you’ll see I Drive Safely doesn’t offer driver’s ed for Connecticut. Instead, the website directs you to DriversEd.com.
When you click DriversEd.com, you’re taken to the Connecticut portion of the website. There you’ll find information on the Connecticut driver’s ed course, what it entails, and how to enroll.
DriversEd.com offers driver’s ed for adults and teens. When you make your selection, you’ll see the class for teens isn’t the same as the class for adults. It’s important to read all information on the page, as there’s often vital information you’ll otherwise miss.
For example, the adult driver’s ed course on DriversEd.com isn’t state-approved. The course is for adult drivers who want to improve their driving skills. The course can also help adult drivers earn insurance discounts. If the court orders you to take a driver’s course, this particular course won’t count.
However, the course for teens will help the teen prepare for the driver learner’s permit exam.
The course teaches Connecticut road rules and goes into detail about avoiding collisions. There’s also a focus on the importance of driving drug-free and sober. Resisting peer pressure while driving is covered as well. In some cases, the student can even receive high school class credit for the course.
Some of the “need to know” information isn’t always so easy to find. It sometimes gets buried in a wall of text. Always remember to read all information on the course details page thoroughly. And if you have a problem with any of the details, remember that you have options.
It’s worth mentioning that Aceable.com is worth checking if neither of the other two providers has the course you need. As of this writing, Aceable.com is approved in several states, including Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Ohio, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.
In keeping with the driver’s ed examples above, Aceable.com offers a teen driver’s ed course that’s approved by the Texas Department of Public Safety. A Texas teen can take the written portion of the driver’s license exam via Aceable.com. Upon passing the test, the teen will choose a driving school or DMV location to take the exam’s driving portion.
Aceable.com also has a course that can help a driver clear a traffic ticket without facing any penalties. The driving defensively course is available in several states. But some traffic offenses make you ineligible to take the course. You’ll have to speak with your local court to see if the course can help you.
Before you enroll in the Aceable.com course, contact your local court to request permission to enroll in the course. It’s possible to make this request via email, phone, or in person.
Before permission is considered, you’ll likely have to submit proof of your driver’s license and car insurance. You may also have to pay a court fee.
If permission is given, you can go ahead and enroll in the course on Aceable.com. The court will provide a deadline for finishing the course. Once you finish the course, take your certificate of completion to court to clear the traffic ticket.
These online course providers make it easy to get the education that you need. But it’s not possible to do everything online.
I Drive Safely
With approvals in nearly every state in the U.S., I Drive Safely lets you drive safe with a driving school that brings you the most advanced, convenient driver safety courses and defensive driving courses available online.
If you need an actual driving course, then you must take that course in-person. For example, California requires teen drivers to have at least 6 hours of in-car driving experience with a licensed driving instructor.
DriversEd.com is a DMV approved program so that teens can enroll in the online portion of the course. But as for driving, it’s necessary to get time behind the wheel with an actual instructor.
Parents are also expected to observe the teen’s driving abilities. A parent must supervise the teen for 50 hours of driving. Out of those 50 hours, ten hours must occur at night.
No matter the state, you must have actual driving experience to earn a license. You can’t do everything online, not even when it’s an online school.
That short detour away from I Drive Safely was to highlight the fact that options are available. Most of the online courses are similar – no matter the provider. The important thing is to make sure your state approves your course provider.
iDriveSafely Courses Available
The following I Drive Safely courses are available (depending on your state).
1. Driver’s Ed for Teenagers (Ages 14-17)
Created to help teenagers study for and pass the learner’s permit test. Covers general rules of the road, rules specific to the student’s state, and general driving safety. Once this course is completed, the student is prepared to take the learner’s permit test.
2. Driver’s Ed for Adults (Ages 18 and up)
A course for new or existing adult drivers. The course focuses on traffic laws and driving safety. You can receive an insurance discount for taking this course.
3. Driving Lessons (via DriversEd.com)
Driving lessons are listed on the website. But choosing that option redirects you to DriversEd.com. The lessons are available in Texas, California, Georgia, and Ohio. Local driving instructors teach driving lessons in a face-to-face setting.
I Drive Safely
With approvals in nearly every state in the U.S., I Drive Safely lets you drive safe with a driving school that brings you the most advanced, convenient driver safety courses and defensive driving courses available online.
4. Defensive Driving
The defensive driving course helps drivers deal with negative psychological behaviors that can hurt their driving. Driving while fatigued, emotional distress, and road rage are all discussed.
The goal is to help drivers maintain a positive attitude while driving and focus on the road. A driving defensively course can help you clear a traffic violation, earn an insurance discount or reduce your driving record points.
5. Mature Driving (Ages 55 and up)
Mature driving is for older drivers who want a refresher course on the rules of the road. You may be eligible to receive an insurance discount for taking this course.
6. Practice Test for the Written Exam
This prepares you to take the written test portion of your driver’s license exam. You still have to take the actual test at your local DMV. This course provides practice for the test.
7. Fleet Driving Safety Program
Fleet driving safety refers to a business driving safety course. When a business has several vehicles used in a business operation, those vehicles are called a fleet. This course allows business owners to get their drivers trained on the rules of the road.
Price Considerations
Course prices vary, depending on your state and the type of traffic course that you’re taking. For example, you’ll currently pay $25.00 to take a driving safety course in Texas. But you’ll pay $24.95 for a defensive driving course in New York.
But the prices are similar across various online schools for traffic courses. For example, Aceable.com also offers a Texas driving defensively course for $25.00.
Are all the Courses Available Online?
Except for behind the wheel driving lessons, all of the courses are taught online. The exact teaching methods used may vary based on the course.
Take the Alabama Defensive Driving course, for example. This particular course consists of studying 8 short chapters that deal with different aspects of driving.
The course covers:
– Driving during dangerous and unexpected weather conditions.
– Basic techniques for driving defensively.
– Recognizing Alabama road signs.
– Learning Alabama traffic laws.
Unlike a traditional classroom, online learning doesn’t require hours spent sitting in a classroom listening to a lecture. Online driving courses use multimedia teaching tools, including slideshows and printables, and video and audio files.
I Drive Safely
With approvals in nearly every state in the U.S., I Drive Safely lets you drive safe with a driving school that brings you the most advanced, convenient driver safety courses and defensive driving courses available online.
Each chapter in the Alabama driving defensively course ends with a multiple-choice quiz. When you’ve completed all the chapters, there’s a 20 question multiple-choice exam.
A score of 80 or higher is needed to pass the exam. And if you fail the exam, you can retake it as many times as needed. You receive a certificate of completion upon successfully passing the exam.
How Does the Court Receive Proof of My Certificate?
Your state must receive proof of course completion to give you credit. But each state has its own rules for how they are to receive certificates.
In Texas, the student must submit their own certificate to the court. But in some states, the course provider is allowed to submit the certificate on your behalf.
If you want the certificate submitted on your behalf, you have to choose a shipping method that includes tracking and delivery confirmation. That’s the only way the course provider can verify that the court received the certificate.
Does a Course Erase my Traffic Ticket?
No, taking an online driving school course does not make tickets automatically disappear. It all depends on your situation.
If you’re charged with a moving violation, then taking a course can help your situation. A moving violation is something that occurs while your car is in motion. For example, you might run a red light or get pulled over for texting while driving.
If your traffic course is court-ordered, the court will dismiss the charges once you pass the course. You may also get a reduced fine or avoid insurance penalties.
However, if you have a commercial driver’s license or have a prior DUI conviction, the court is highly unlikely to send you to take a traffic class.
Can I Drive Safely Course Lower My Insurance?
It depends on your auto insurance provider and state. Some auto insurance companies offer discounts for taking defensive driving courses.
You’ll have to contact your insurer to see if a discount is available. However, I Drive Safely does have an insurance discount program for Virginia, Texas, California, Florida, and Delaware.
The Benefits of an Online Traffic Course
A state-approved traffic course can get you out of several sticky situations. So, if you find yourself faced with attending a traffic class, think of the trouble you’re avoiding!
Here are some ways you’ll benefit from taking a driving course.
1. Make it Possible to Eliminate or Reduce Ticket Fines
Do you want to pay a fine for a ticket when you don’t have to? No, probably not. You made a mistake while driving, but you don’t want to pay hundreds of dollars for it.
You could find yourself facing court fees, higher insurance premiums, and other costs – not to mention the actual ticket.
When people are court-ordered to take a traffic course, it’s not a bad deal. If nothing else, you’ll save a bit of money. Consider yourself lucky if your state offers you this alternative.
You might even want to ask about a course before it’s ordered. It might get you out of a sticky situation.
Just make sure you’re taking a course from a state-approved provider. I Drive Safely has more state-approved courses than most other online traffic schools. But there are other options – such as DriversEd.com and Aceable.com.
2. Clean Up Your Driving Record
Maintaining a good driving record is highly recommended. But drivers make mistakes – and you don’t want a silly mistake to tarnish your spotless driving record. Or maybe your driving record isn’t that great, and you want to make it better.
Your state might allow drivers to take traffic courses to improve your driving record. This means that even if the course isn’t court-ordered, you might have the option to take the course just because you want to.
I Drive Safely
With approvals in nearly every state in the U.S., I Drive Safely lets you drive safe with a driving school that brings you the most advanced, convenient driver safety courses and defensive driving courses available online.
3. Prevent a Suspension
Getting too many points on your driver’s license could lead to a suspension. A suspended license is a huge inconvenience. You can’t legally drive to work, school, or anywhere else. And if you’re caught driving with a suspended license, you’re in for a world of trouble.
Are you facing possible suspension of your driver’s license? If so, now is the time to take action. Contact your local DMV and ask if taking a driving course can improve your situation.
4. Get Better Insurance Premiums
Who doesn’t want to save money on their auto insurance? One way to possibly get a discount is to take a course about driving defensively.
Call your auto insurance provider to see if they offer discounts for traffic classes. For example, Nationwide offers a discount for some drivers who are 55 years old or older. The driver has to live in a certain state, have a clean driving record, and complete a state-approved safe driving course.
These discounts usually aren’t advertised. The only way you’ll find out is if you ask or research the subject online. Therefore, it’s worth giving your auto insurance provider a call.
You might not always be able to find out about these discounts when you’re shopping for insurance online. As such, it can be worth calling insurance providers to find out about the potential discounts they offer for completing a traffic course.
I Drive Safely
With approvals in nearly every state in the U.S., I Drive Safely lets you drive safe with a driving school that brings you the most advanced, convenient driver safety courses and defensive driving courses available online.
An online traffic course is the most convenient and hassle-free way to complete a traffic class.
Jordan Fabel
Covering different 'paths' that people's lives can take. Creative, foster parent, ticket dismissal, you get the idea. Exploring the requirements, certifications, exams, and obviously, approved courses along each path.
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