Defensive driving certificates can be obtained through online or in-person courses, which vary in length and focus. Reasons for taking the course include meeting employer requirements, increasing road safety, and meeting statewide requirements. The course teaches strategies to avoid accidents and take defensive action.
There are several ways to obtain a defensive driving certificate. Generally, a course must be completed prior to certification. Courses are offered online or in person. The location and type of course largely depends on why the student is seeking a defensive driving certificate. Courses can take just a few minutes to complete or up to several months.
Courses can be taken for a variety of reasons. Professionals who drive on the road regularly, such as delivery and bus drivers, often take these courses to meet employer requirements. Parents encourage teens and novice drivers to get a defensive driving certificate to increase their road safety and sometimes get lower car insurance rates. In the United States, one of the most common reasons to take a defensive driving certificate course is to meet statewide requirements for people who are at risk of losing their driver’s license.
There are online schools that offer courses without road tests. Courses can be submitted via streaming video and tests taken online or over the phone. These courses are most popular with those who are required to take driving courses to remove points from their driving record or recover their driver’s license if it has been revoked. Not all courses are approved for these purposes in all US states; therefore, anyone taking the course to restore a license must be certain that they are certified in their particular state.
It is also possible to take a defensive driving course in person to obtain a defensive driving certificate. Sometimes the course is completely classroom-based, while others are conducted almost entirely on the road with an instructor. The number of hours spent on training usually depends on how the institute or school has designed the course; the purpose of the course; and the regional requirements needed to obtain an official defensive driving certificate. Courses designed solely to teach safety are generally longer and more extensive. The course usually culminates in an official exam.
During the course, students learn strategies to avoid accidents. The program generally covers proper safe driving techniques such as maintaining safe spaces between cars and proper signage. Driving in dangerous weather conditions such as snow and ice is also often addressed. In addition to personal actions, instructors teach students how to stay safe by observing their surroundings and the actions of other drivers on the road. The main part of a defensive driving course is learning to take defensive action when an accident is imminent.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
