Defensive driving is broadly defined as driving that is carefully practiced specifically to prevent accidents and injuries. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) publishes an official definition of defensive driving providing defining it as driving to save lives, money, and time. Defensive driving is also a course of instruction provided by many different schools and programs nationwide. The courses are promulgated or approved by various state agencies for the purpose of improving statewide driving and enhancing driver and pedestrian safety. Many states provide an incentive for drivers to complete defensive driving courses. These states allow drivers to complete a defensive driving course both to gain an insurance discount and to eliminate certain moving violations from their driving record, without points or payment of a fine. Some people complete defensive driving courses just to obtain an insurance discount or even just to improve their driving skills, but most people only participate in defensive driving to avoid a fine after a moving violation or to remove points from their driving record.
The defensive driving diversion to traffic ticket prosecution is only available for certain violations. These are generally relatively minor violations, including speeding up to a certain limit, failure to signal a turn, improper passing, failure to yield the right of way to a pedestrian, speeding in a construction zone or school zone, and camera-monitored violations. The defensive driving course is not an available alternative for certain other violations. Speeding past a certain limit will disqualify a driver. Defensive driving is also not available where a driver is accused of passing a school bus while students are loading or unloading. In some cases, speeding in a construction zone where there are workers present will disqualify a driver. Further, any violation for a driver holding a commercial driver’s license or operating a commercial vehicle will disqualify the driver. Also, where the violation occurred during an accident, in many states, defensive driving is not available. Some states still allow completion of defensive driving even where an accident occurred, so long as the driver is not accused of reckless driving, and so long as there are no injuries. Where a driver attempts to flee from or elude a police officer after an infraction, defensive driving will not be available. Where two or more moving violations are charged in a single citation, defensive driving will not be allowed.
A defensive driving course must be completed before the court date scheduled for a violation. Also, if a violation has already been satisfied, such as by payment of a fine, then defensive driving will not be an alternative. Furthermore, generally speaking, defensive driving is only available for drivers licensed in the state of the violation. A driver holding an out of state license will not be allowed to satisfy a violation with defensive driving. Defensive driving can only be completed periodically in any state. In some states, defensive driving can be taken once per year, but in other states, defensive driving is only available every two or three years. Needless to say, only one course can be taken at a time, and it is not possible to undertake a course for a second violation while a course is being taken for a first violation. A defensive driving course must be approved by the state in order to satisfy a violation.
After figuring out your defensive driving course eligibility, be sure to contact Defensive Driving Solutions to sign up for the course todaY1
