Vermont Defensive Driving Course

A defensive driving course in Vermont could be beneficial in lowering your car insurance costs and/or refreshing your memory regarding safety concerns on the road. While traffic school in VT will not reduce your points on your driving record nor dismiss a traffic ticket, you can still benefit from the knowledge gained in these courses. Because Vermont uses a point system for tracking moving violations, your driving record will reflect your recent infractions and can impact your insurance costs. Understanding how you can mitigate that problem will help you move forward after an accident or citation.

Furthermore, be mindful that defensive driving school differs greatly from driver’s education classes. Thus, be sure to understand the differences between these two types of programs and register for the appropriate one. While taking a defensive driving course online can offer you the flexibility to refresh your knowledge and safety skills while at home, it will not offer you other benefits. Therefore, if you are trying to lower your insurance costs, be sure to confirm whether a school works with your insurance provider before you register.

Who can attend traffic school in Vermont?

All motorists can choose to take a driver improvement course in Vermont for a variety of reasons. For instance, mature motorists may take a driving safety course in order to understand the ways that aging can affect a driver and learn to monitor and assess them more appropriately.

Moreover, drivers who have accumulated points on their driving records will likely want to take a defensive driving class to refresh their safety skills and knowledge. While these courses will not remove these points from your record, taking a class can certainly improve your confidence in understanding and applying the rules of the road.

Types of Defensive Driving Courses in Vermont

Popular defensive driving courses in VT include adult driver training classes and refresher training programs. Furthermore, these types of training can include classroom lectures and/or practical instruction. Typically, the refresher course will not include practical training, but a driver can always choose to take lessons behind the wheel in order to get feedback from a professional.

Classroom vs. Online Traffic School in Vermont

Motorists typically opt for online traffic school offerings in order to review safety knowledge and skills without having to attend in-person classes. These online programs are available through third-party institutions that have varying curriculums and costs. However, all courses cover the same general material in reviewing safety standards and defensive driving habits.

While in-person defensive driving classes cover the same material as online programs, they also provide time for students to ask questions and go over certain particular concerns. This can be especially beneficial if you do not fully understand the moving violations you have committed.

How to Enroll in a Vermont Defensive Driving School

Before enrolling in a defensive driving course, you may research online course options that are accepted in Vermont. Alternatively, you can look for local driving schools that offer adult training and contact them directly for further information. You can usually register and pay for an online course using a credit or debit card, while in-person training will vary based on its availability.

Benefits of Completing Traffic School in Vermont

There are many benefits to enroll in a traffic school in Vermont, despite the fact that the state does not use these courses for reducing points accrued on a record or dismissing tickets. For example, you might be able to do any or all of the following:

Avoid increases on your auto insurance premiums
Obtain a car insurance discount
Fulfill a court order
Learn safe driving knowledge and skills

Avoid Increases on Your Auto Insurance Premiums

Depending on your insurance company, taking a defensive driver course might allow you to avoid an insurance price increase after an accident or citation. You will have to discuss the options with your insurance company directly and make sure that you register with a qualifying school or program that your insurer will accept.

Obtain a Car Insurance Discount

Many insurance companies accept a senior defensive driving course in exchange for a small discount on your insurance costs. This typically applies to motorists who are 55 years of age or older, and usually requires renewing once every three years in order to maintain the discount. Check with your insurance provider to see if you could benefit from a driver safety course insurance discount.

Fulfill a Court Order

If you have accumulated many points on your driving record, a court-ordered driver safety program might be required. If so, you simply need to follow the exact instructions provided to you by the court. Make sure you take the correct type of course at an authorized location and follow any additional instructions for providing proof of your completion after the fact.

Learn Safe Driving Knowledge and Skills

A defensive driving course is a good idea for all drivers, no matter what your age or driving record might look like. Learning safe practices for the road and reviving that practical knowledge you learned in driver’s education can help everyone to be safer on the roads.

Vermont Defensive Driving Class Curriculum Details

During a driver improvement program, the curriculum generally covers the following topics:

Hazard awareness
Avoiding collisions
Understanding road signs and signals

While each defensive driving course can vary, the basic idea is to review the potential dangers and to improve each driver’s safety knowledge and techniques.

Vermont Defensive Driving Certificates

You will receive a defensive driving certificate of completion after undergoing one of these courses successfully. Depending on your reason for enrolling in the program, you might need to submit a copy of your certificate in order to be credited with completing the training. For example, the certificate may have to be sent to your auto insurance company or the court where you had a hearing.

Vermont Traffic School Versus Drivers Education

It is important to note that traffic school and driver’s education are not the same types of training offerings. Therefore, these two categories of courses must not be confused. Overall, driver’s ed classes are for new motorists who are not yet licensed. These applicants must learn the rules of the road in preparation for obtaining a license.

On the other hand, a DMV traffic school is for drivers who are already fully licensed but who require a refresher course. Otherwise, these programs are for VT motorists who have committed a number of violations and need to review standard safety practices.