Safe driving courses, also called defensive driving courses, have a few significant benefits beyond the practical skills they teach.
Often people think of a defensive driving course as a way to mitigate traffic offenses, but attending one of these courses voluntarily is still beneficial. Namely…
Lowering Insurance Premiums
Insurance companies generally like seeing that you’ve taken a safe driving course, since the presumption is that it’s less likely you’ll be in an accident. This can be especially helpful if you’re a new driver under age 25, since typically insurance premiums are higher. In some states, taking a safe driving course after receiving a ticket will mitigate the insurance effect.
In North Carolina, the District Attorneys often use safe driving classes as a prerequisite to getting your charge reduced to a level that keeps it off your insurance.
Mitigating Traffic Violations
Taking a safe driving class is the most common way to get a speeding or other moving violation charge reduced. Different jurisdictions use the safe driving class in different ways, and some utilize it more than others. Wilkes and Yadkin Counties very often require safe driving classes, especially if you have a prior record. Other counties, such as Forsyth or Davidson, will require a class in order to get a more serious charge reduced.
Very often we will ask you to take a safe driving class and bring us the certificate before you ever go to court. This shows that you are proactive, and we find that it’s sometimes harder for the DA to say “No” to a reduction request if you’ve already taken steps to remediate your mistake. In the same vein, judges also appreciate clients who are contrite, and taking a class without being asked may get you a break on fines or help if you are seeking a PJC.
You Can Take These Classes Online
Many remedial driving class organizations offer their classes online, which makes the process as convenient as possible. In the past, most courts required actual attendance at driving school. That changed after COVID, but some courts have gone back to the “live class” requirement. Davidson, Davie and Rockingham Counties often require you to attend the class in person.
When it is required, you’ll find that in person classes are offered at community colleges and driving schools with some regularity.
Will McElwee has been a traffic attorney for over 25 years, and has established a solid track record helping folks from Boone and Wilkesboro to Winston Salem address traffic tickets. His family has a long and fruitful history in the area: the McElwee Law Firm began in 1932. Will’s grandfather, William H. McElwee, Jr., was a former president of the North Carolina Bar and sat on North Carolina’s Board of Law Examiners for many years.
As a “Double Deac,” Will attended Wake Forest University for both undergraduate and law school. He is a certified Superior Court and Family Financial Mediator and is also certified in the field of collaborative law.
