Driving is the most popular mode of transportation in the United States. But, it’s also a complex skill that must be mastered. It’s easy to forget that driving improperly can be seriously dangerous.
That’s why it’s important to receive the proper training when learning to drive. The best way to ensure safe driving is by going to traffic school.
Traffic school can help you improve your driving skills. It can even help you learn new ones. Whether you’re a new driver or you’ve been driving for years, traffic school may be beneficial to you.
Here are 10 key benefits of going to traffic school:
1. Traffic School Might Save Your Life
It may sound dramatic, but traffic school could end up saving your life. Certified driver’s education is proven to reduce the number of accidents and tickets among young drivers.
In 2015, a study by the University of Nebraska – Lincoln found that teens who did not receive professional training were at higher risk of:
- getting into an accident of any kind (16%)
- getting into a potentially serious or fatal accident (24%)
- receive a traffic ticket or violation (75%)
Additionally, the CDC found that going to traffic school could reduce fatal accidents overall. They found that serious accidents fell 26-41% in drivers with certified driver’s education.
Overall, traffic school helps prepare young drivers for the realities of the open road. It also helps experienced drivers improve their driving skills in order to prevent accidents.
2. Learning the Laws
Each state has its own complex list of driving rules. These laws are numerous. But, as a driver, it is important that you’re familiar with all of them.
Knowing the laws can help keep you safe on the road. It can also help prevent tickets and traffic violations.
Certified driving instructors, like those found at traffic school, can help teach you these laws. These instructors are generally up-to-date on all driving laws for their specific state.
3. Mastering the Art of Driving Etiquette
State laws aren’t the only rules that govern the roads. There are also unofficial, but extremely common, driver’s etiquette rules. As a driver, you need to be aware of these.
These etiquette rules make it possible to share the roads. It can be dangerous to drive without knowing them. This is especially dangerous when sharing the road with other drivers, pedestrians, or cyclists.
Certified driving instructors are aware of all driver’s etiquette rules. They can help teach them to you. This can help you master the nuance of becoming a courteous, and safe, driver.
Taking a traffic school course can also help you combat instances of road rage. Road rage is always a very real possibility on the roads. It can also become potentially dangerous.
In traffic school, you may learn what enrages other drivers. This can help you avoid dangerous conflicts.
4. Time to Practice Your Driving Skills
Nothing can replace actual driving experience. Books and videos may be useful educational tools, but they’re nothing like actually getting your hands on the wheel.
Traffic school can be a great place to get actual driving experience. Most beginner’s courses require and include several hours of behind-the-wheel experience. A certified driving instructor will be with you every step of the way.
Having actual experience on the road helps prepare new drivers for the kinds of situations they may have to face. It can also help new drivers learn new driving skills that could come in handy later.
Unfamiliar driving experiences can quickly become scary. Driving in floods or snowfall when you have no experience can sometimes lead to panic. Taking a traffic school course will leave you prepared for tough situations.
5. Get a Confidence Boost
Confidence is key when it comes to driving. This is also one of the things that new drivers lack most. Even if you’re an experienced driver, things like accidents and tickets can impact how confident you feel behind the wheel.
But, a lack of confidence can be dangerous. When you lack confidence, it could lead to panic. And panic could lead to serious accidents.
Having confidence on the road can save your life.
To help boost your confidence behind the wheel, try going to a certified traffic school. At traffic school, you can gain valuable experience and encounter real-life situations. But, you’ll also have the added assistance of a certified driving instructor, just in case.
6. Reduce Your Recklessness for Safe Driving
If a new driver doesn’t lack confidence, they probably have an over-abundance of it. This could lead to recklessness behind the wheel. Things like speeding, texting while driving, and refusing to signal can all be dangerous, reckless mistakes when out on the road.
Reckless driving is one of the leading causes of serious, and even fatal, traffic accidents. By going to traffic school, you can help reduce recklessness on the roads.
Driving instructors will walk you through the very real risks and dangers associated with operating a motor vehicle. They can also help you learn the ins and outs of being a responsible driver. These new driving skills will come in handy when it’s your time to hit the road.
Benefits for Experienced Drivers
The benefits of traffic school extend beyond just new drivers. Even if you’ve had a license for years, you may still have something to gain from going to traffic school. In some cases, you may even have no choice.
But, whether it’s by court order or personal choice, there are still tons of benefits of traffic school. Yes, even for the experienced driver.
The benefits that licensed and experienced drivers can expect from traffic school include:
7. Correct Your Bad Habits
When you’ve been driving for a while, you tend to pick up one or two bad habits. This is because the more experienced you are at driving, the more comfortable you are going to be behind the wheel. Sometimes, however, these bad habits can become dangerous.
In traffic school, a certified driving instructor will be able to help. During driving instruction, they’ll help point out and identify any bad habits you may have picked up. They’ll also give you tips and tricks to work on correcting them.
You may think your bad habits are harmless. After all, you’ve been driving that way for years.
But, you never know what could happen. One mistake could lead to a serious accident.
Instead, work with a driving instructor to brush up on proper driving skills. This could save your life in the long-run.
8. Improve Your Driving Skills
Traffic school is a great place to work on your driving skills. Even if you’ve been driving for a while, you might not be great at anything. From parallel parking to lane switching, every driver has maneuvers that make them a little bit uncomfortable.
Luckily, traffic school can help you become more comfortable with some of these more difficult maneuvers. You might also pick up a few new driving skills while working with your driving instructor.
New driving skills are especially useful after big moves or other serious life changes. Perhaps you’re unfamiliar with the climate or you’ve bought a new car that’s bigger than anything you’ve ever driven. Maybe, you even need a commercial license for a new job.
Whatever the case, traffic school is a great place to brush up on old driving skills while picking up a few new ones.
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9. Clean up Your Driving Record
One of the most common reasons licensed drivers attend traffic school is to clean up their driving record. If you receive traffic citations, you could have a ticket dismissed by enrolling in driver’s ed or a defensive driving course.
This can save hundreds of dollars in fines, while also giving you the added benefit of improving your driving skills. But, that’s not the only way traffic school and defensive driving could clean up your record.
Traffic school can also reduce the number of violation points on your record. Once again, this could end up saving you tons of money in fines and fees. In some cases, it can also help you keep your license from being suspended for receiving too many points.
If your license has already been suspended, going to traffic school can also help you get your driving privileges reinstated. Occasionally, going to driving school is a requirement of a court order.
Whatever the case may be, going to traffic school can be a quick, easy, and ultimately beneficial way to strike your driving record clean.
10. Save Thousands of Dollars
Driving school actually isn’t the expensive investment you might think it is. In fact, going to traffic school could actually end up saving you money in the long-run.
Most car insurance companies offer special discounts for those who have attended traffic school. This especially applies to young drivers who have received their education under a certified driving instructor.
It is also proven that a driver who takes a traffic course is less likely to receive tickets or be involved in an accident. That can save you tons on fines, fees, and repairs. And, in some cases, traffic school won’t just save you money, it’ll save your life.
What to Expect From Traffic School
Before you head off to traffic school, you may still have a few questions. For example, what can you expect from a traffic education course?
There are tons of different traffic courses to choose from. There are even specialized defensive driving courses for certain people, such as seniors or those with disabilities. The first step to going to traffic school is to enroll in a course that will fit your needs.
Every traffic school is different. They also vary by state, as each state has its own set of requirements, rules, and required curriculum.
In general, though, you can expect to cover basic traffic laws and safety best practices. Again, these lessons will be specific to your state. So, when you make a big move, it could be worthwhile to enroll in a traffic education course.
Some topics you may encounter at traffic school include defensive driving, alcohol awareness, and emergency preparedness.
Usually, courses last for 1-2 weeks. Then, you’ll likely be tested with a final exam. If you pass, you’ll receive a certificate of completion.
Some courses will also split instruction into different sections based on what curriculum is being covered. These may then require quizzes at the end of each section. You’ll have to pass the quiz to continue on in the course.
The section and quiz model of traffic school is particularly popular amongst online traffic school courses. Occasionally, these will also require a final comprehensive exam. This exam must be passed to obtain the certificate of completion.
What to Do After Completing the Course
After completing your traffic school course, you should inform the state. Many schools will notify them for you after the final exam. If your school doesn’t, you’ll have to send your certificate of completion to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
Once the state has been informed of successful completion, you’ll move on to the next steps. This could mean taking the next steps to get your license or having your driving record struck clean.
Help Keep Our Roads Safe
The ultimate goal is for our roads to be filled with examples of safe driving. Whatever your reason for going, traffic schools can help us achieve that goal. It can also provide some serious benefits to you.
Check out traffic schools in your state to learn more about signing up for a defensive driving course. You’ll be an expert behind the wheel in no time!