Defensive driving courses offer Rhode Island drivers the opportunity to learn about being safer on the road. Often, defensive driving is required by the court for drivers with significant violations or habitual driving offenses. Defensive driving can also be completed voluntarily by drivers interested in improving their driving skills and earning a discount on auto insurance rates.
Defensive Driving Courses in Rhode Island
In Rhode Island, drivers with major traffic offense violations must complete a defensive driving program. Defensive driving may also be required for drivers who have earned too many minor traffic violations.
Rhode Island Defensive Driving Course Eligibility
As the court typically assigns defensive driving courses, you will be informed if you’re required to complete defensive driving. Drivers who are assigned to defensive driving by the court will be automatically eligible to complete the program.
Rhode Island Traffic Ticket Dismissal with Defensive Driving
Rhode Island does not typically allow for traffic ticket dismissal with defensive driving. However, permission may be granted on a case by case basis with the court, so you may ask if it is available and be allowed to take it depending on your circumstances.
Defensive Driving Courses Available in Rhode Island
In Rhode Island’s defensive driving course, you’ll focus on driver improvement and learn how to drive more safely. The course is designed to improve driver skills, knowledge, and abilities, and ultimately, make drivers safer on the road. Completing this course can help you reduce your risk of incidents on the road, such as collisions and traffic violations.
Rhode Island’s defensive driving course takes between four to eight hours to complete. You’ll be required to enroll in defensive driving at the Community College of Rhode Island in some cases. In other cases, you can enroll in a different classroom or take your course online. You may be able to take your course in a single day or multiple sessions. If you’re completing your course online, you’ll likely be able to log in and log out at your leisure until you complete the course.
As each school designs its curriculum, every course will offer a slightly different curriculum. But most defensive driving courses will cover the same general topics. You can expect to learn about the following topics in your Rhode Island defensive driving course:
- collision avoidance techniques
- practicing defensive driving
- learning how to predict the actions of other drivers
- identifying and dealing with challenging driving situations including accidents, bad weather, traffic, and construction
- staying safe while passing and following other vehicles
- managing emergencies on the road
- the dangers of hazardous driving habits such as drowsy driving, drinking, and driving, distractions while driving, and road rage
- proper use of vehicle safety features
- safe vehicle maintenance
- updates on Rhode Island’s current traffic laws and regulations
Defensive Driving for Car Insurance Discounts in Rhode Island
While defensive driving may be court-ordered for some drivers in Rhode Island, the defensive driving course is open to all state drivers. In fact, it’s a great idea to enroll in defensive driving to improve your driving skills and safety. And if you enroll in defensive driving voluntarily, you may qualify for a discount on your auto insurance premiums.
Rhode Island Defensive Driving Insurance Discounts
Rhode Island drivers can often earn a discount on auto insurance premiums after completing a defensive driving course. Most insurance companies will offer a discount on liability premiums between 5% and 20%, with a typical discount of 10%.
Rhode Island Defensive Driving Insurance Discount Eligibility
With no state restrictions on driver eligibility for defensive driving discounts, potentially all Rhode Island drivers will be eligible for a discount on auto insurance premiums by taking a defensive driving course. However, individual insurance companies will set their policies. They may only offer discounts to individual policyholders, such as those who have maintained a safe driving record, or age groups such as mature drivers or teenage drivers.
Before you enroll in defensive driving to earn a discount on your auto insurance, check with your insurance company to determine if you’re eligible. You can find out how much you’ll save by completing the course, and you’ll verify that you’re eligible to get credit for doing so on your premiums.
You must check-in with your insurance company to verify your eligibility and discount level before enrollment in a defensive driving course. If you’re not eligible but take the time anyway, the defensive driving school is not likely to give you a refund, even if you can’t get a discount on your auto insurance. Of course, if you’ve found that your insurance company doesn’t offer you a discount, it’s a smart idea to shop around and find out if you’re able to get a discount and a better rate with a different insurance company.
Insurance Defensive Driving Courses Available in Rhode Island
Rhode Island’s defensive driving course for insurance discounts is the same course taught to drivers who are required by the court to enroll. In this course, you’ll learn important skills for better safety on the road. Upon completion, you’ll be better prepared to avoid incidents on the road, including traffic tickets and accidents.
While defensive driving schools will all develop their own individual curriculum, they will typically cover a predictable set of topics. You can expect to learn about the following topics in your Rhode Island defensive driving course:
- defensive driving techniques
- essential, safe driving habits such as following distance, maintaining a safe speed, passing carefully, and yielding the proper right of way
- avoiding dangerous driving situations such as distracted driving, drunk driving, drowsy driving, and road rage
- learning how to use your vehicle’s safety features
- keeping your vehicle safe with proper maintenance
- learning how to predict driver actions
- an updated view of Rhode Island’s traffic laws and regulations
Enroll in a Rhode Island Defensive Driving Course
Stay safe on the road by enrolling in a Rhode Island defensive driving course. It will help you retain your driving privileges or earn a discount on your auto insurance premiums. Find a defensive driving school in our directory to get started today.