How much could YOU save?
Request free quotes; find out now.
  • Someone may have
    just saved up to
    $1,034/yr
    on car insurance.
    Actual quote delivered: 2 hours ago
    Quote Range: $1,498-$2,532/yr
    Age: 45 Sex: Female
    State: Florida Tickets: 0
    Number of Quotes: 3
    Vehicle: 1993 CHRYSLER LEBARON
  • Someone may have
    just saved up to
    $1,155/yr
    on car insurance.
    Actual quote delivered: 2 hours ago
    Quote Range: $1,155-$2,309/yr
    Age: 37 Sex: Female
    State: Florida Tickets: 0
    Number of Quotes: 3
    Vehicle: 2003 TOYOTA COROLLA CE/LE
  • Someone may have
    just saved up to
    $908/yr
    on car insurance.
    Actual quote delivered: 3 hours ago
    Quote Range: $1,236-$2,144/yr
    Age: 49 Sex: Female
    State: Tennessee Tickets: 1
    Number of Quotes: 2
    Vehicle: 2004 HONDA ACCORD EX
  • Someone may have
    just saved up to
    $1,367/yr
    on car insurance.
    Actual quote delivered: 3 hours ago
    Quote Range: $1,367-$2,735/yr
    Age: 33 Sex: Female
    State: Florida Tickets: 2
    Number of Quotes: 3
    Vehicle: 1998 FORD TAURUS SE COMFORT
  • Someone may have
    just saved up to
    $1,262/yr
    on car insurance.
    Actual quote delivered: 4 hours ago
    Quote Range: $2,350-$3,612/yr
    Age: 60 Sex: Female
    State: Virginia Tickets: 0
    Number of Quotes: 2
    Vehicle: 2002 MERCURY SABLE GS/GS PLUS
We Scour. You Save.
We search the web to find the very best deals and money-saving tips. Then, we send them right to you.
Get insurance now:
Car Insurance Resources:
Get Free Quotes Now
Save With CarInsurance.com!
Car Insurance Learning Center  Learning Center  Auto Insurance Questions & Answers   Questions & Answers  Professional Answers   Auto Insurance Answers

How can I find out when the last time I took a defensive driving course?

If you cannot remember how long it has been since you have taken a defensive driving class then you may try contacting your state's Department of Motor Vehicles to see if they have it listed as part of your driving record.

If you took traffic school, driver improvement class or a defensive driving course to get a traffic ticket reduced or dismissed (adjudication withheld) or points taken off of your record than this may be part of your driving record since the certificate of completion normally has to be sent into the traffic court or the DMV for the ticket or points to be taken off.

You may need to pay a small fee to obtain a copy of your driving record from your local DMV and check to see when it states you took a defensive driving course. If it is not listed on your motor vehicle record (MVR) than if you sent in the completion certificate to a court you may try contacting that court to see if there is way for them to look up your case file or give you information on where to find this type of information.

[Let CarInsurance.com help you find affordable auto insurance now.]

Lastly if neither of these options pan out you can try contacting the school you took the class through to see if they have any records on when you last attended or paid for a driver improvement course.

As you are likely aware some states do not allow traffic school for point reduction or to get rid of a ticket, while others do but only once every so many months or years.

For example, in Florida you can elect to attend traffic school only 1 time within a 12 month period and only 5 times in total within your lifetime of having a FL driver's license. In Florida the months are floating, meaning that if you received your citation in July you cannot take another traffic school class until after that time period the next year.

In California, you are allowed to attend traffic school once every 18 months. If your offense is eligible for driving classes, it usually will be stated on your citation or court papers.

Besides schools specific to taking keeping off a violation and/or points that you were recently cited for, as mentioned above, some states allow for you to take classes to remove demerit points previously put onto your record.

The state of Wisconsin allows a Traffic Safety School (TSS) to be taken once every 5 years to have a driver's demerit point total reduced by 3 upon completion.

Free Auto Insurance Quotes





New York allows NYS licensed drivers to reduce their violation point total by up to 4 points and save 10 percent on auto liability insurance by taking a DMV approved accident prevention course. NY points may be reduced only once in any 18 month period.

Your state's DMV should be able to give you information on any traffic school listed on your driving record and also give you information on how often your state allows one to take a traffic course to keep a violation and points off the driving record or to remove previous points.

As you know having a clean driving record has many advantages, from being able to be employed with a company that requires a clean driving record to operate a company vehicle to having better rates with your car insurance company. To get a quote for car insurance, click here.

Share this article with:

Related Questions
Car Insurance Related Why do auto insurance rates go up?
Rate, add comments, or add help about your situation and this question.
Help us improve the largest car insurance website!

poor 
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

 excellent
Tell us why you rated this car insurance question and answer this way. You can add any helpful insurance comments to this page:
Visitor Comments
No visitors have commented on this answer.
Question Details
This car insurance answer was last updated 6:35 PM Sep-07.
This Save Money question was asked 04:32 PM September-4-2008.
Sheila M. requested this car insurance help from CarInsurance.com experts.
Rated 0 out of 10 based on 0 votes.
Save Money Category
Print Car Insurance Answers Print this car insurance question and answer
Email Car Insurance Answers Email this auto insurance answer
Disclaimer: Answers and comments provided are for information purposes. They are not intended to substitute informed professional advice. These responses should not be interpreted as a recommendation to buy or sell any insurance product, or to provide financial or legal advice. Please refer to your insurance policy for specific coverage and exclusion information. Please read our Terms of Service.
©2012 QuinStreet Insurance Agency, Inc. - Online Insurance Marketplace™
CarInsurance.com Feedback Survey