What is the Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic?
The Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic is an eight-hour course regulated by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
Drivers take this course to satisfy a court requirement, satisfy a DMV notice, earn 5 Safe Driver points, or obtain a
discount on their auto insurance premium. Schools approved by the VA DMV
offer the course in a classroom setting or online.
Drivers who choose the classroom setting spend either one 8-hour day or two 4-hour periods across two days in a physical classroom.
Drivers who choose the online setting complete the course on a computer that has internet access. Online courses afford drivers
the opportunity to complete the course at their convenience. Whether classroom or online, drivers typically must sign up and pay before getting started.
A certificate of completion is issued upon completion of the course.
Drivers submit this completion to the court if they are taking it to satisfy a court requirement. They submit it to their
insurance company for a discount on their insurance premium. Schools are also required to
electronically submit the completion notices to the DMV.
The course covers traffic laws and techniques for driving safely on Virginia roads. The specific topics are regulated by
the DMV and include:
- Safe Driving Strategies
- Driving Behaviors
- Driving Conditions
- Turns, Passing, Intersections, Lanes
- Protecting Yourself While Driving
- Adult and Child Safety Equipment
- Impaired Driving
- Distracted Driving
- City, Rural, Suburban, Expressway Driving
- Truck, Motorcycle, and Bicycle Awareness
Why Drivers Take the Course
Virginia drivers take a driver improvement clinic for one of four reasons: to satisfy a court order, to satisfy a DMV requirement, to get an insurance discount, or voluntarily to earn 5 safe driving
points. You can learn more about the different reasons for taking the course below or by reading the Virginia DMV's list of reasons here.
Take the Virginia Driver Improvement Clinic to Satisfy a Court Order
You may take our course to satisfy a court order to complete a driver improvement clinic (a.k.a., traffic school).
The Virginia District Court may direct you to complete a driver improvement program in addition to other penalties in response to a guilty plea. The judge also has the option to keep points from
being added to your record or granting a reduction in fines.
Each court specifies its own procedures for taking a driver improvement course. You must check with your court to understand your options. In many cases an attorney may be prudent.
When you complete our driver improvement course, you will take your Certificate of Completion to your court to prove that you have completed a driver improvement clinic.
We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.
Take the Virginia Driver Improvement Course Voluntarily
About a quarter of the drivers who take our course do so voluntarily. During registration, choose "voluntary" to choose this reason. You may want to choose this reason if:
- You want 5 Safe Driver points added to your record.
- You simply want to refresh your knowledge of driving laws and good driving behavior.
We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.
Take the Virginia Driver Improvement Course to Satisfy a DMV Requirement
About 10% of drivers take our course to satisfy a DMV requirement. During registration, choose "DMV Required" to choose this reason.
The DMV will direct you to complete a driver improvement course if you have accumulated too many demerit ("bad") points:
- Twelve (12) points in twelve (12) months if you are eighteen years old or older.
- Eighteen (18) points in twenty-four (24) months if you are eighteen years old or older.
The point threshold is stricter for drivers under eighteen:
- Nine (9) points in twelve (12) months if you are under eighteen years old.
- Twelve (12) points in twenty-four (24) months if you are under eighteen years old.
We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.
Take the Virginia Driver Improvement Course to Get an Insurance Discount
Many insurance companies offer insurance discounts to drivers who complete a driver improvement clinic. Check with your insurance provider to see if they offer this discount.
Usually a two-year discount on a portion of the premium is available.
If your insurance provider offers this discount, select the "Insurance Discount" option when you register. When you complete the course, we will email you your
Certificate of Completion and you will deliver it to your insurance company.
We Notify the DMV of Your Completion
We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license. Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.
How Does the Virginia Driver Improvement Course Work?
Our course is quick and easy. Get everything done in three simple steps!
Step One: Register for the course.
Create a username and password and fill out your contact information.
Step Two: Take the course.
Our course consists of 12 short online lessons. You must pass a short quiz at the end of each lesson to proceed to the next lesson. An online final exam must be passed at the end to be awarded a certificate. We offer a handy study sheet for the final exam. Most people pass the exam on the first try. However, you are permitted to take the exam an unlimited number of times at no extra charge.
You may log in and out of the course as often as you like. Complete it in one sitting or come and go on your own schedule. It's completely up to you! We take you back to where you left off each time you return.
Step Three: Get your Certificate of Completion.
When you complete the course, we will immediately email you your Certificate of Completion. You must deliver the certificate to your court or insurance provider if you are
taking the course for a court-ordered requirement or to obtain an insurance discount. Those who are taking the course to satisfy a DMV requirement may simply keep a copy
for their records. We will automatically notify the DMV of your completion within 24 hours if you have a Virginia driver’s license.
Remember to check with the DMV 7-10 business days after you complete the course to make sure they have processed it.
Information from the Virginia DMV
Below are statements regarding the course from the Virginia DMV:
To benefit from the course, you must be able to work independently and be comfortable with using a computer. The online driver improvement course and final test must be completed
through a DMV-licensed online driver improvement clinic. No paper test is permitted.
The online driver improvement clinic course is an eight-hour course, including the final test, and is designed to rehabilitate problem drivers. The course must be completed in its
entirety prior to the issuance of a certificate of completion. Student identification will be verified through-out training and prior to taking the final test to ensure that the
person taking the course is the same person taking the final test.
Customers directed by the Court must provide documentation from the court before safe driving points can be awarded.
It is your responsibility to determine if your court accepts this computer-based driver improvement course to satisfy a court required driver improvement course.
The certificate of completion will be electronically transmitted to all individuals upon successful completion of the course within 24 hours.
Your completion information will be electronically submitted to the DMV within 24 hours.
DMV is committed to promoting transportation safety through the certification of quality driver training programs. If you have any comments or concerns about this course, call our
toll-free number: (1-877-885-5790). The DMV standardized certificate, "Online Driver Improvement Clinic Certificate of Completion (DIC 552B)", is the only document that will be accepted
by the Department and the Courts as proof of completion of an online driver improvement clinic. As part of its validation and security log-on screen sequence, the online clinic provider
shall display a facsimile of its DMV certificate to operate an online driver improvement clinic in Virginia. If the certificate is presented to DMV, it must be printed on
8½" x 11 plain white bonded paper. DMV will not accept certificates printed on color or special designed paper or paper with any form of advertisement on the front or back of the
certificate. DMV will not accept any certificates that have been altered in any way.
Why Safe2Drive?
At Safe2Drive, we put our customers above everything else. We pride ourselves on providing excellent customer service and top-notch courses at low prices. We're constantly updating our courses to make sure they have the most up-to-date
information and use the best technology available.
Best of all, our courses are easy to complete and extremely convenient. Skip the hassle of the classroom and take your course online from the comfort of your own home (or on the go!).
Approved in all counties.
So what are you waiting for? Get started today!
Register Now
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