So you got a ticket, and now you have to take a traffic school course to get it off your record, but you’re not sure how to get started.
You may feel like you’re the only person in the world who’s actually being forced to go back to traffic school because of your driving habits, but trust me, there are an overwhelming amount of people out there who have to do the same.
We all learned how to drive and drive safely in our teens, but sometimes we get caught up in the everyday hustle and bustle and forget what we learned. We speed through traffic.
We suffer a little thing called road rage when other drivers don’t meet our standard. We’re human, and we all make mistakes. It’s common! This is where traffic school online comes in.
I won’t lie to you: traffic school is boring. There’s not a single person out there taking traffic school because they want to, and I’m sure you’re exasperated at the thought of having to go through the same old information over again. While I can’t make it fun for you, I can help you find the right traffic school for you (some even try to make it fun!), at the best price possible.
What Is Online Traffic School?
Some of you may be familiar with the concept, but for those that aren’t, I’ll explain a little bit about online traffic school and what it’s used for. You may be thinking that it’s the same as an online driver’s education course, and while in some aspects you would be correct, it is very different in others.
Online traffic school is a course that can be taken by individuals who have received a ticket for a moving violation (speeding, for example), or slightly more rare, people who want a refresher course on safe driving practices.
Whether you’ve elected to take the course or are being required to by the court, these courses are a great way to reduce, or even sometimes completely remove, your ticket, and can sometimes be used to get points taken off your license.
They can also sometimes be used to obtain a discount on your insurance, which can be very handy if your premiums are high. These traffic schools teach something called defensive driving, which teaches you to anticipate collisions and other risks of the road before they happen, making the road a safer place for everyone. Exciting, right?
How Do I Choose the Right Online Traffic School?
Well, not all online traffic schools will be able to provide you with what you need to clear your driving record. Worst case scenario, you may even find traffic schools online that are scams, claiming that they can provide the services that you need when in fact, they have nothing to give.
They’ll just take your money, waste your time and effort, and before you know it, they’ll be the ones who are gone instead of the points on your record.
So what can you do then to choose the right one?
It’s simple – do your research.
You can ask for references, read reviews and customer feedback, or check their website. A quick Google Search will clearly show if their company owns a valid domain name. Check if you can reach out to their customer support.
You can also check their certificates and accreditations. A +A rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a good indication that a company is legitimate and has maintained a good relationship with its customers as a business.
In terms of pricing, don’t just settle with the one that offers the cheapest price – it would be safer to choose one that is a bit pricier but does not lure you into purchasing add-on features that you won’t actually need in the first place.
It’s hard to give a specific price range because it will vary per state. But what you can do is to read course comparisons and reviews – but make sure to read reliable sources, too!
If you can find one that offers a money-back guarantee, that’s a safer choice, as you will be able to request a refund if it turns out that the course is not how it was marketed to customers. But of course, only trustworthy companies will be confident enough to offer money-back guarantees, so there’s that.
Two of the Most Recommended Online Traffic School
Luckily for you, we’ve got a whole list of reviews for different online traffic schools, which you can find here.
I realize your time is important, however, so I’ve also taken the liberty of picking my two favorites from this list based on criteria, attitude (yes, attitude), and price to help you narrow it down.
These two are on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of attitude, but cover the same criteria and have similar price points, and we also offer coupons for both courses for you!
Let’s start with the more standard option of the two.
I Drive Safely
I Drive Safely offers two options, depending on your state; text and video. The video does have a slightly higher price point, but may be a little more tolerable for those of us who hate reading about boring subjects, like driving safety and regulations.
They make it easy to find your state depending on your needs (standard traffic school or specifically defensive driving, for example), and are up front about their pricing, telling you what you’re going to pay for the course as soon as they know which state you’re in.
Course length depends on your state as well, as each state has different requirements for traffic school. For some, it can be done in an hour, whereas for others it can take up to six hours. The good news is, as with most traffic schools online, you make your schedule, and can complete the course most conveniently for you.
The only exception to this is if the county that issued your ticket requires the use of timers, which means you have to take a certain amount of time to complete the course before it will pass in court.
Once you’re in, you’ll find the course has eight sections to complete before taking the test at the end, and these sections will encompass everything from highway safety to the functions of your car, to the environment and the traffic laws for your state, so you’re getting the most thorough education possible, and they do try to break the monotony of the text with graphics, which is nice.
At the end of each section you will be quizzed, but don’t worry; if for some reason you do poorly, you will just have to review the section over again before re-taking the quiz.
At the end of the course, once you’ve passed the final exam, you can have the certificate of completion sent either to you or the courts for free (as long as you didn’t wait until the last minute to finish the course – processing the certificate takes a couple of days, and the prices to rush the shipping will cost you quite a bit more), and then you’re done.
Improv Traffic School
Remember when I said that some online traffic schools try to make it fun? I’m sure you didn’t believe me, but once you step into Improv Traffic School’s online course, you’ll see what I mean.
They invented the term ‘edutainment’ for themselves, and they live up to it; even their commercial is funny! Like with all good things, however, there is a downside; their course isn’t available in every state.
The good news with that is they make it easy to determine if your state is eligible, and sign up is quick once you get that out of the way. Their price point varies widely between states, and once you choose yours, a link to pricing will appear at the top of the page.
Course length varies by state as well, and so does the necessity of timers. However, if you’re not required to take the course within a certain amount of time, you can typically get the certificate of completion within thirty minutes, or you can spread it out to match your schedule.
Once you’re in, the fun begins, and they’ll teach you all about highway safety, road conditions, your vehicle, and the traffic laws of your state, all while making you laugh your hind parts off. At the end of the course, once you’ve passed the final exam, they begin processing the paperwork and notify the courts automatically, so there’s nothing else you have to do.
So which one would you choose? Personally, I think Improv would be better suited for me, but everyone learns and processes information differently.
Either way, you can be sure you’re getting the best driving education available, at some of the best prices. These two were given a five-star rating from Drive-Safely, and are highly regarded by the states they’re available in. I can’t think of a better reason to pick a traffic school.