How Traffic School Affects Your Driving Record.
Choosing to complete a Basic Driver Improvement Course at an approved traffic school can help you avoid getting points added to your license after receiving a traffic ticket, and in some cases make you eligible for car insurance discounts.
The benefitsof completing the basic driver improvement course after receiving a moving violation include:
- Your insurance rates cannot go up and your policy cannot be cancelled due to the assigned violation (unless it involved a crash where you were at fault)
- Points may not be added to your driving record
- Adjudication of guilt is withheld
- Safe driver status is maintained if applicable
- The fine is reduced up to 18%
Receiving these benefits by attending traffic school is only applicable 5 times in the driver’s lifetime.
Electing to attend traffic school is only optional once a year, so if you have received a moving violation within 12 months and attended traffic school as a result, you are ineligible to re-attend.
In order to successfully complete traffic school (prior to attending class) you must:
- Inform the Clerk of Court in the county where you received the citation that you want to go to traffic school within 30 days from the date you received the ticket
- Pay an election fee to the Clerk of Court in the county where you received the citation
Only courses approved by the your state's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles are applicable for the benefits described above.
Luckily, there are many options to choose from and you can pick the approved class that best fits your needs. Classes are also available to attend both in person and online. Traffic schools are also listed in your local telephone directory under “driving instruction” or “traffic schools”.
Am I required toattend traffic school?
There are some circumstances where you must complete certain traffic school courses, such as the Traffic Collision Avoidance Course, if and when:
- You were a driver in a crash and are found at fault and
- Someone was transported to the hospital or
- You had 2 crashes in a 2-year period, which resulted in property damage greater than $50.
- Traffic School is ordered by a judge
If you have received a traffic ticket and want to know more about your legal options, complete our brief questionnaire today for a free consultation with a
traffic ticket attorney in your area.