Defensive Driving

What To Do With A Defensive Driving Certificate

In many states in the United States, a defensive driving certificate needs to be submitted in order for a traffic citation to be dismissed. This is proof that a driving safety course or a defensive driving class has already been completed. Along with this, a copy of the driving record of the person should be submitted to the court that has jurisdiction of the case.

The processing period for a defensive driving certificate differs from one course provider to another. Some are able to provide a completion certificate in one day. For others, a defensive driving certificate is obtained only after a couple of weeks. This is the reason why a driver should schedule his driving safety course weeks before the ninety days allotted to him would end to allow delays in the processing and mailing of a defensive driving certificate.

All ticket dismissal courses or defensive driving classes regardless of its delivery method can be utilized to dismiss a traffic violation once a year so long as a defensive driving certificate is submitted. Defensive driving classes may be conducted in a classroom or through alternative methods like online, CD, DVD, or cable TV. The driver should undergo all six hours of a driving safety course for him to receive a defensive driving certificate. Likewise, the student must be able to correctly answer at least seventy percent of the personal validation and course content questions asked.

A request for a driving safety course can be made by mail or personally. The instructions found on the ticket given by a police officer should be followed. Only the person to whom the traffic citation was issued to should make the request. For this request to be processed, some requirements are to be handed in before or during the appearance date that is indicated in the ticket. These are a completed Affidavit form with notarized signature; proof of a non-commercial Drivers License, the court administrative fee, and a proof of insurance coverage on the day that the defensive driving course was requested. The driver is then allotted ninety days to present proof to the court that a defensive driving course is completed. The defensive driving certificate and a copy of the driving record should be presented within the allotted timeframe. Otherwise, a hearing before a municipal court judge would have to be scheduled.

A ticket dismissal class, however, cannot be taken if the traffic violation made by an erring driver includes speeding 25 mph or more above the allowed speed limit, leaving the scene of an accident, absence of insurance or inability to sustain financial responsibility, passing a school bus or driving in a construction zone when there are workers around. In the state of Texas, a driving safety course for a ticket dismissal is assessed a minimum of $25. For defensive driving classes taken only for education purposes or for a discount on the insurance rates, course providers will have to charge less than $25. However, a defensive driving certificate from these classes cannot be utilized to dismiss a traffic citation in the future.

Defensive Driving