Live Chat

Driver Improvement Course

Written by Staff Writer

You don't have to leave the house to become a better driver. An online driver improvement course will help you develop your skills as a motorist, save money, clean up your driving record and more — all from the comfort of your own home.

To make the roads safer for all New Yorkers, the DMV offers a basket of benefits to anyone who completes a basic driver improvement course under the Internet Point and Insurance Reduction Program (IPRIP). Also known as a defensive driving course, a driver safety course or simply traffic school, a driver improvement course is a state-approved program of instruction that is designed to make you a better, safer driver.

Online Driver Training

All approved New York defensive driving courses must contain at least 320 minutes of instruction. Usually, it takes about six hours to complete the course. If you sign up for an in-person driving school, that usually means six weeks of one-hour lessons at a set time in a classroom. That doesn't include the commute to and from class or all the time spent clearing your evenings or weekends.

If that sounds like a lot of hassle, it's probably because it is. Skip it! You can take a defensive driving course on your terms by signing up for online driver improvement training. We offer state-approved training that you can complete 100% online. Study at your pace from any device to become a better motorist.

You can access our New York online driver improvement course 24/7 from your laptop, tablet or mobile device. Log in and out as often as you like. We automatically save your progress as you learn. Spread your lessons out over a month or tackle the whole course in an afternoon. Choosing online training puts you in control of your traffic school experience.

Here's a brief list of the benefits of enrolling in an online driver improvement course:

  • Training materials are available 24/7
  • Learn 100% online from any device
  • No final exam — just a few short quizzes
  • 30 days to complete your training
  • Available in English or Spanish
  • Approved by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (NYS DMV)
  • Easy-to-understand lessons
  • Automatic completion reporting

What Does an Online Driver Safety Course Include?

Approved programs in New York must cover specific road safety and skill topics. Our training includes four learning modules that teach you important defensive driving techniques that will keep you and others safe as you enjoy New York's roads and highways.

Course topics include:

  • Aggressive driving and road rage
  • DWI and blood alcohol concentration
  • Safe stopping distances
  • The dangers of distracted driving
  • Intersections, traffic signals and road signs
  • School buses and emergency vehicles
  • New York traffic laws
  • And more

By the time you finish your training, you will learn important safety skills for New York's roads and highways. No matter your experience level, you will gain a greater understanding of the rules of the road and pick up some valuable pointers. Our course is perfect for teenagers still practicing basic driving skills and experienced motorists who might want a refresher on traffic laws and safety tips.

Looking for an improved understanding of life-saving defensive driving techniques? That's a perfect reason to sign up today. But the benefits don't stop there.

Benefits of a Driver Safety Course

It seems too good to be true, but the NYS DMV will reward you for doing something that already makes your life better. IPIRP offers a pair of incredibly useful rewards that will improve your budget and protect your license.

When you complete a NYS DMV-approved online defensive driving course, you are entitled to a mandatory 10% reduction on your New York car insurance premiums and a reduction of up to four points on your driving record. To qualify for point reduction, you must have received the violation within the past 18 months.

Insurance Discounts

When you successfully pass the online driving course, we will mail you a certificate of completion within seven to 10 business days. If you send that certificate to your insurer, they are required to give you a 10% discount on your current liability, no-fault and collision premiums.

That discount lasts for three years. Over the span of 36 months, the savings really add up. After three years, you can take the online defensive driving course again to renew your bonus. For more information on how to submit your certificate, contact your insurance provider.

Point Reductions

New York uses a point system to track high-risk driving behavior. Every speeding ticket, moving violation and traffic citation has a point value. If you ever accrue 11 or more points in any 18-month period, your license can be suspended or revoked. Nobody wants to lose their license over a speeding ticket.

Completing an eligible driver improvement class reduces the number of points on your driving record by four. Bear in mind, traffic school doesn't erase the tickets or remove them from your license. It just reduces the point value for the purpose of calculating penalties.

A defensive driving course can only reduce points earned in the last 18 months. They don't roll over, and you can't save them up for a future traffic violation. But you can take the course again in 18 months to shave another four points off your license.

You don't even have to worry about reporting to the DMV. If you complete our online defensive driving course, we take care of that for you. We automatically report your successful course completion within a week. It may take up to 10 weeks for the NYS DMV to process your program completion and apply it to your driving record.

Required Training

Sometimes, individuals may be required to take a defensive driving class to satisfy a court-ordered driver improvement clinic to avoid additional penalties. Court-mandated traffic school usually comes with a deadline, making an online course the easiest way to satisfy court requirements.

More Information

If you would like to know more about our online New York driver improvement course or other New York traffic topics, make sure to visit our articles page.

Sources

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. (n.d.). How to Reduce Your Points and Insurance Rate. Retrieved from https://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/how-reduce-your-points-and-insurance-rate

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. (n.d.). How Insurance Premium Reduction Works. Retrieved from https://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/reduce-insurance-premium

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. (n.d.). About the New York State Driver Point System. Retrieved from https://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/about-nys-driver-point-system

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. (n.d.). About Point Reduction. Retrieved from https://dmv.ny.gov/tickets/reduce-driver-violation-points