If you’ve recently received a traffic violation in Arizona, you may be considering your next steps. The state of Arizona offers a great program called the “Defensive Driving Program” that allows drivers to take a defensive driving course to dismiss traffic tickets in some cases. There are certain legal requirements to be eligible for this program and the traffic school has to be certified by the state of Arizona, but it’s a great way to get your driving record back on track. So here is everything you need to know about Arizona’s Defensive Driving Program and defensive driving courses:
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What Are The Benefits Of The Defensive Driving Program?
The biggest benefit of the Defensive Driving Program is that it allows drivers to remove a traffic violation from their record. Traffic violations can cost you thousands of dollars in increased insurance premiums and can prevent you from qualifying for certain jobs. By taking a defensive driving course, you can clear your record to keep your insurance premiums down and not have a mistake ruin your chances at a job. The other huge benefit of taking a defensive driving course is that it helps you both learn defensive driving skills and better understand Arizona traffic laws, so you’ll be safer on the road and less likely to get a ticket in the future.
What Are The Eligibility Requirements?
In order to take a defensive driving class to have your traffic ticket dismissed, there are some eligibility requirements you have to meet. These include:
- You must have a valid drivers license
- Your violation has to be listed on the eligible violations found here
- The traffic violation did not cause any injuries or fatalities
- You have not taken an Arizona Defensive Driving course in the twelve months prior to the citation date
- You are not less than seven days from your court date
- You did not dispute the ticket in court
- The violation was not received while driving a commercial vehicle
Also, you can only have one violation dismissed through traffic court. You are allowed to take either an online or in-classroom defensive driving course, except if the judge has specifically stated that you have to take the course in person. The State of Arizona will also allow you to file for an extension if you cannot take the class in the required time period.
How Do You Find A Good Defensive Driving School?
In order to be eligible for the Defensive Driving Program, the defensive driving course you take has to be fully certified by the state of Arizona. This can seem like a difficult task with so many schools on the market, however, the Arizona Judicial Branch has a list of certified schools on their website found here: https://www.azcourts.gov/drive/List-of-Certified-Schools. You can search this list by county to find a driving school near you. This list also contains both online and in-classroom programs, so you can find a school that works best for your lifestyle.
To find the best online defensive driving course, consider these tips:
- Years in business: Here’s a simple way to figure out how reliable an online defensive driving school is. Determine how long they have been in operation. If the school has been around for more than 5 years, you can safely assume that they have satisfactory services.
- Better Business Bureau Ratings: Another way is to check their Better Business Bureau ratings. Go for a school that has a rating of A+. This will give you an idea of how well the school fares with customers. You can double-check user experience with credible reviews from students about the course curriculum, learning tools, certificate filing, and customer support.
- State approval: As mentioned above, the course should be state-approved. Make sure that the defensive driving course you enroll in will be recognized by your local court as well. Otherwise, you will risk taking a course that does not make you eligible for point removal or masking.
- Money-back Guarantee: Go for a school that has risk-free payment and full money-back guarantees.
- No hidden fees: Hidden fees are an unethical tactic online driver’s ed schools use to get more money from students. We recommend Improv Traffic for zero hidden fees for unlimited test retakes, certificate filing, and court reminders.
- Automatic Certificate filing: Go for a school that ensures reliable certificate processing and filing. Go To Traffic School ensures automatic same-day certificate processing and filing of your certificate of completion.
- 24/7 Customer support: Especially since you will be working remotely, make sure that the school has a good track record of reliable customer support through email, phone, or live chat. iDriveSafely offers reliable and free phone support.
What Are The Course Requirements For Defensive Driving Class?
The state of Arizona has some course requirements for the Defensive Driving Program. If you understand these requirements, you will better understand what to expect when you take a defensive driving course. The state requires 4-4.5 hours of classroom instruction. Once this coursework is complete you have to take an exam to pass. The exam is typically 25 questions and once completed, is proof that you have finished the program. Usually, the school will send the completion notification to the courts, however, some courses may send you a certificate of completion that you can show to the courts. To sign up for a defensive driving course you will need a copy of your traffic violation, any court order to take the class, and a valid driver’s license.
What Does A Defensive Drivers Course Cost?
The cost of a defensive driver’s course in Arizona ranges depending on the school. Luckily, defensive driving courses are pretty affordable. Typically you can expect to pay between $25-50 for a course. The best part is the course usually pays for itself just by the money you will save on your insurance premiums.
What Is Traffic Survival School?
The state of Arizona has a second program for people who have committed more serious traffic violations like DUIs and reckless driving called “Traffic Survival School.” Traffic Survival School is very different from the Defensive Driving Program. Traffic Survival School is a court-ordered requirement to reinstate your license. The program has stricter guidelines and requirements and an entirely different curriculum than a defensive driving course. So make sure that you aren’t supposed to be attending Traffic Survival School when you sign up for a defensive driving course.
Voluntary Defensive Driving Courses
Even if you haven’t received a traffic violation, you may still want to take a defensive driving course voluntarily. Defensive driving courses can help you brush up on your driving skills so you can stay safe on the road. Taking a defensive driving course voluntarily can also help you lower your insurance premiums. It’s a great idea for people who pay full coverage on a newer vehicle to help them save a few extra bucks. Since defensive driving courses in Arizona are relatively inexpensive, only take a few hours, and can be done online, there’s no reason you shouldn’t talk to your insurance company to see if you will qualify for a discount.
So if you’ve recently received a traffic violation in the state of Arizona, you should consider taking a defensive driving course to dismiss the ticket. Defensive driving courses are fast and inexpensive. Plus Arizona offers a variety of resources to help you pick a great course, so it’s a great idea. If you are looking for more information about Arizona driving schools or want to learn more about defensive driving courses check out Traffic School Critics. Our website has tons of in-depth information about traffic schools, so we can answer any questions you might have. So check us out today!