Becoming a better driver through Virginia defensive driving courses

Drivers get a Virginia defensive driving course because of one of four reasons. First, drivers may take it to satisfy a requirement of the Virginia traffic court for a traffic citation to be dismissed or to have a traffic fine or penalty reduced. Second, it may be completed to remove negative driving points that have been assessed on a driving record of a person. The state allows drivers to take a driving safety course once every 2 years or 24 months for the purpose of point reduction. Third, drivers voluntarily take it to earn five safe driving points from the Virginia Department of Moving Vehicles. Some defensive driving schools or driver improvement schools are authorized by DMV to award safe driving points to their students. Lastly, drivers take a Virginia defensive driving course to be able to avail of discounts in vehicle insurance rates.

A Virginia defensive driving course basically consists of a discussion of defensive driving techniques. Specific rules and regulations in speed limits as well as driving under the influence laws in Virginia will likewise be discussed. The entire course takes eight hours to complete and basically consists of twelve chapters with each one focusing on a different concept or principle in defensive driving. Interesting stories and pictures are also integrated into the course to make it more interesting to the students.

Drivers, 20 years old and above, can complete driving safety courses including the ones available online. For younger drivers, they are only allowed to take and complete those conducted within a classroom setting. Online Virginia defensive driving courses are made more fun and interactive by using animations, videos, graphics and the like in their online driving program. Through online driving programs, drivers no longer have to be physically present in a classroom to finish a course. No special hardware is needed to be able to take these online courses. Moreover, a driver can complete a course in a pace that is most suited to him. He can also work on it in any place where there is a computer with Internet access. A driver can also exit at any point in the program if he needs to take a break. He can re-enter or login at a later time and the online system will automatically take him to the last page that he accessed. Online Virginia defensive driving courses are also very flexible because these can be completed even if different computers are used so long as the driver uses his unique login data for access.

Final exams cannot be taken through a computer. Instead, they should be taken at a quiz location that is accepted by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. A picture ID should be presented before a driver can take the exam. The multiple-choice exam takes about twenty minutes to complete. Notes are not allowed to be brought into any of the test locations. In case a driver is not able to pass the final exam initially, he can retake it until he passes. Virginia state law allows a person to retake an exam once a day.

Virginia defensive driving schools process the course completion certificate on the same day that the course is completed. Driving improvement schools will electronically inform DMV on the same day about the course completion.