It’s the year 2012 and there is no doubting the role that technology plays in today’s society. New products continue to hit the market all the time, as they’re consumed in whole by the masses, especially in America. For every positive word spoke on technology and how it assists us, unfortunately these products can have a negative effect as well.

One of the primary areas where developing technology can sometimes be viewed in a negative light relates to its role in the increased cases of distracted driving over the last few years. As the public has developed even more of a reliance on smart phones and other types of technology within their daily lives, the ability to put products aside to give full attention to the road has been flaking.

In the end, minimizing technology in the car is going to be the key route to cutting down distracted driving, while also playing a part in driver improvement in general. This spans from both portable devices such as cell phones or tablets, to in car products such as new lines of complex GPS systems and stereo equipment. All of these things can play a role in feigning concentration on the road.

Distracted driving is something that has had a major effect on US roadways and the numbers tell the story. According to the latest released figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2009, there were around 5,000 deaths resulting from distracted drivers, as well as nearly 450,000 injuries. Cell phones have served as one of the more primary distractions, as they were claimed as factors in around 25,000 cases of driving-related injuries and deaths in the last set of reports.

Right now, the Department of Transportation and other lawmakers are looking to help add some regulations to the process. Currently, all signs are pointing towards action from the DOT against some in car technology such as GPS systems. The regulations would make future in car technology less taxing attention-wise, allowing them to be controlled with fewer glances than past versions.

Cutting down the use of technology in the car can certainly play a large role in driver improvement in 2012. The attention problem and distracted driving is an issue for many these days, just because of the reliance on cell phones and other technology for everyday use. The ability to learn new techniques for driving and cutting down technology will only help drivers in the long term. This improvement, along with the prospect that new regulations for in-car technology in 2012, bring good signs of less distraction in driving. 

Driver Improvement Course Online in Michigan
A basic driver improvement online course in Michigan allows users the option to log in and out of the course at their convenience. The course consists of 8 short and easy chapters, followed by a 10 question quiz at the end of each chapter to help prepare you for the final test. You must score at least 80% on each quiz and the final test, but you have unlimited attempts to receive a passing score on both. The Michigan online defensive driving course also includes 3D animiations and video throughout making it very educational and entertaining. There is even an audio read along feature if selected allowing a user to listen to the content rather than reading. There really isn’t a more convenient or entertaining way to complete a Michigan defensive driving course today! A successful course completion of the online Michigan driver improvement course is reported immediately to the Michigan Secretary of State’s office to ensure that points are removed and the ticket is not reported to the associated auto insurance company. If a user would like a copy of the completion for their records a Proof of Completion can be purchased and mailed via the delivery method selected.

The only stipulation is that you complete the course within 60 days and you are not eligible to take a course if you were cited for serious traffic tickets such as negligent or carless driving. Violations while operating a commercial vehicle also are ineligble.

Sign up today for a Michigan Driver Improvement course online.

Tom Bishop, representing National Safety Commission, presented an argument in favor of reinstating the online testing program before the Florida Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism and Economic Development Appropriations on February 10, 2011. During his presentation, Mr. Bishop suggested that the online testing program, which ran from 2004 to 2010, contributed to the decrease in teen fatalities and crashes among Florida’s youthful driver population.

Mr. Bishop also noted that it was likely the online testing program had a financial impact on the State’s administration of the driver licensing program, since driver license examiners would not have to take time away from other duties to proctor a test for an applicant who had already completed his or her test online. Another positive aspect of the online testing program, according to Mr. Bishop, was that it caused many parents to become directly involved with overseeing the testing process instead of relegating this responsibility to a State employee.

One of the main reasons given for the cancellation of the program was that a DHSMV study found that students who took their test online and were retested later at the driver license office achieved lower scores during the retest than students who took their test as part of a driver education program. Mr. Bishop suggested that the State’s study was flawed because it did not use a control group and did not retest a large enough sample of the students who originally took their Class E test online.

Julie Jones, Executive Director of DHSMV, also spoke before the Senate subcommittee on this topic. Ms. Jones noted that during the six years in which the online testing pilot program was in operation, DHSMV had asked test providers to improve security measures that would prevent students from being able to cheat on the online test. Despite the inclusion of increased measures such as an affidavit signed by parents stating that they had proctored the exam, the State still decided to cancel the program in June 2010. Ms. Jones noted that even with all of the added security measures, she still could not be certain that students were taking the online exam without assistance.

The Senate subcommittee members listened attentively to both sides and asked many questions about various aspects of the online testing program, as well as the Florida teen crash statistics that were provided by Mr. Bishop and Ms. Jones. Opinion appeared to be divided as to whether the online program should be reinstated. Senator Gaetz concluded the discussion by stating that the committee could review the matter further if a bill is introduced to bring back the online testing program.

When the pilot program was created six years ago, DHSMV hoped that it would reduce long lines at local driver license offices.

By passing their test on the Internet, students could avoid taking the test in person, although they would still have to travel to a driver license office and wait in line to take their behind the wheel driving test, vision test, and submit paperwork to a driver license examiner.

In an effort to include security features in the driver license test, DHSMV restricted test providers to companies that offered online learner’s permit courses. Students who signed up for their learner’s permit course online could only take the online Class E driver license test through the same company. Students were required to submit the answers to security questions in order to gain access to the online driver license test. Students were not allowed to take a classroom learner’s permit course and then take their driver license test online because this was prohibited by DHSMV.

The online test generally cost between $20 and $30 per attempt. Five companies were licensed to provide the online testing, one of which advertised its online test heavily in the Florida driver’s handbook. The online test was extremely popular and has been taken by hundreds of thousands of Florida high school students.

In the summer of 2010, DHSMV officials notified test providers that they were discontinuing the program effective December 31st, 2010. Despite the inclusion of additional security features in the tests, such as requiring that parents sign an affidavit form stating their teen did not receive assistance, DHSMV determined that there was too much potential for fraud with the online version of the Class E exam.

According to DHSMV, this decision was prompted by retests that had been conducted over the course of the pilot. In these retests, the scores of online students were compared with the scores of students who originally took their test at a local driver license office. When retested, online students failed a large percentage of the time as compared with students who originally tested at the driver license office.

Although the online Class E test is now history, Florida teens can still take their DHSMV required learner’s permit course online. This four-hour course instructs teens in Florida traffic law, the dangers of driving after drinking or taking drugs, and defensive driving concepts.

Teens can sign up for the online drug and alcohol / learner’s permit course at www.driverlicenseschool.com. They can also study the Florida driver’s handbook to prepare for the road signs and road rules test that they must now take at a local driver license office.

Driver Training Associates recently announced the release of its newly redesigned Florida Traffic School course.

This 4-hour course has been approved by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for all Florida drivers who are eligible to attend a basic driver improvement course for point dismissal. Attending the course is a popular option for many drivers, since it prevents their insurance rates from increasing unless they were at fault in an accident.

A Better Way to Go To Traffic School

DTA was one of the first companies to offer driver improvement to ticketed Florida drivers over the Internet. Its online Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course has been taken by hundreds of thousands of drivers who needed to meet a court deadline quickly or could not locate a classroom course in their area.

Improvements to the revised online BDI course include larger type that is easier to read, simpler navigation from page to page, the addition of colorful and attractive graphics, charts, and tables, and a writing style that is clearer and simpler for all customers to understand. Statistics and traffic safety data have also been updated throughout the course to reflect the most current information available from NHTSA, IIHS, the Florida DHSMV, and other sources. This new course is a far cry from typical online traffic school courses that simply repeat facts from the driver’s handbook!

New Registration Options

The registration area for the BDI course has been updated to include new registration options such as reckless driving, red light running, racing on the highway, and passing a stopped school bus. The inclusion of these new options ensures that customers taking the course will receive credit for their course completion. Many other online Florida traffic school courses do not include these registration choices, leaving drivers to wonder whether their traffic school completion will be reported correctly.

Another new feature of the online BDI course is the ability to download the completion certificate immediately upon passing the final exam. This option, otherwise known as "electronic certificate delivery," can be selected during registration or after you pass the final exam.

If electronic delivery is chosen, the customer will see a download link to open or save the certificate, which is in Adobe PDF® format. The certificate can then be printed from the customer’s computer or saved and printed later using Adobe Acrobat Reader®.

Florida Classroom Courses Still Available

While online traffic school has become the most popular option for busy drivers who receive a Florida speeding ticket or other moving violation, classroom courses are still available in many areas. Classroom courses are an excellent option for anyone who wants to interact with others in a group setting, who prefers an in-person class environment, or who likes to be able to ask questions of a professional instructor.

DTA licenses a large number of Florida traffic schools to offer our classroom Program for Driver Improvement, which is approved by the State of Florida. Click here if you are interested in starting a Florida traffic school where you live.

Questions? Call 1-800-222-9199

If you are between the ages of 18 and 24 in the State of Texas, the law now requires that potential drivers complete a 6-hour adult driver education course to be eligible to get your first driver license.

Although it makes things a bit more difficult for new adult drivers to get a license, they have options on how to take the course.  Most of the commercial driving schools across the state of Texas are approved to offer classroom based courses.  However, there is another option, which is online.

Over the past few months, the Texas Education Agency has approved multiple online adult driver education courses.  Although there are benefits and drawbacks to both approaches to taking the course, many people find that online is the most flexible and convenient way to complete an adult driver education course today.

Flexibility and Convenience

Some Texas residents that must take this course live in remote areas that may not have a classroom course, and  may only conduct a class once every 2-4 weeks.  Why drive a long distance or wait for a class to fit a busy schedule?  The online courses are available 24 / 7 from any computer with Internet access.

Users can log in and out of the course as many times as they like.  The course consists of nine units and users will be required to pass a short quiz following each chapter.  At the end there is a final exam to test the total course comprehension of the user (70% or greater to pass, with three attempts allowed).

Having to take a final exam may seem cumbersome, but it is important to note that the adult driver ed course exam qualifies as a written driver license exam — the same exam that new drivers would otherwise have to take in person at the DMV office when applying for their license.  That is one less thing that has to be done at the local Department of Motor Vehicles Driver License Office.

Once the course has been completed, a certificate of completion is mailed out to the user.  This must be presented to the DMV office to show that the new adult driver education course requirement has been met.  Since the written driving test will have already been completed, the only remaining items are a vision test and a behind the wheel exam.

For those people who feel that the classroom option is the best for them, we recommend that you visit the Texas Education Agency’s website for a listing of the approved adult driver education schools.

About DTA:

Driver Training Associates, Inc. (DTA) is a defensive driving and traffic school course leader with offices in Florida, Texas, and New York.  DTA was started in 1977 as a classroom provider and now offers all of its courses in online formats as well.  The company is approved to offer Texas defensive driving, New York Defensive Driving, and Florida traffic school courses.

The state of Florida is unique in that it requires special course attendance for individuals whose driver licenses have been suspended by the State for reaching a certain number of points on their driving record, or for being declared a habitual traffic offender.

In either situation, the state mandates the completion of a 12 hour Florida advanced driver improvement course (a.k.a. "ADI school").

ADI courses are available online or in the classroom.  Due to the seriousness of the circumstances that cause a driver to be required to complete an advanced driver improvement course in Florida, the requirements and class curriculum are a bit different from what one might expect from a basic driver improvement course. 

What to Expect from ADI School

A large portion of the course consists of questions and answers that are designed to stimulate thought and conversation between the student and teacher about the attitudes or issues that may have caused the driver to behave in a manner that resulted in the loss of their driving privileges.  As with all online courses, the Florida advanced driver improvement online course allows the user to log in and out of the course as often as necessary and the course is available 24 /7, so that they can work the course into their schedule.  This is especially important since the total course length is 12 hours. 

As the saying goes, “Driving is not a right, it is a privilege,” and it takes personal responsibility to be safe and make the right decisions while on the roadways.  Failing to do so can cause a driver to lose his or her driving privilege when the state takes away that person’s driver’s license. 

Kudos to Florida for requiring drivers to complete a training course that will cause them to rethink their habits while behind the wheel, and will hopefully improve their attitude and skill level.  It is through this education that they can become less likely to be cited by law enforcement across the Sunshine State in the future. 

Not All ADI Courses Are Created Equal

Online courses are not for everyone.  If preferred, classroom courses are available across Florida, offering the same state approved Florida advanced driver improvement courses that are offered online.  Each school is different in how it breaks up the 12-hour program, and the question and answer session offered as part of the class can be done in a more conversational arrangement, which is not possible in the online format.  The decision for most drivers (online or classroom), depends on how comfortable they are on a computer and the flexibility their schedule allows. 

Hopefully you will never need to take a Florida ADI course, but if you do, you will now be a bit more informed as to what your options are.  Drive Safe Florida!

About DTA:

Driver Training Associates, Inc. (DTA) is a defensive driving and traffic school course leader with offices in Florida, Texas, and New York.  DTA was started in 1977 as a classroom provider and now offers all of its courses in online formats as well.  We were the first company to develop a State-approved 12-hour Advanced Driver Improvement course for Florida drivers.

DTA is approved to offer Texas defensive driving, New York Defensive Driving, and Florida traffic school courses.

Starting September 1, 2010 Texas law requires that ALL passengers inside a motor vehicle be secured by a safety belt, regardless of the age or place  in the vehicle.  Currently, the law requires that only front seat passengers (other than children that fall under the child safety seat laws) be secured in safety belts.  In the interest of safety, legislators added the new stricter laws to help decrease the numbers of people who are killed or injured in motor vehicle crashes each year for not wearing their seatbelts. 

Another seat belt related law addition is focused on children.  Starting June 1, 2010 it is violation to operate a motor vehicle with a child who is younger than 8 years old (unless the child is taller than 4 feet 9 inches) without securing them in an approved child safety seat.  This law was modified from less than 5 years old and less than 36 inches tall.  This may seem like a big change, but  again the legislators feel that it is their job to protect the children of this state from being injured in vehicle crashes, and this change will ensure that more children are safely secured.

Regardless of how you may feel about the role of government in our society, it is important to stay informed of the current laws so that you are not cited by authorities for a violation that could have been avoided.  These are just a couple of new changes for drivers.  I invite you to check out all of the new changes by visiting the Texas department of Transportation’s website. 

If you get a ticket for a seat belt violation and the court authorizes the use of a state approved seat belt course, check out our course.

About Us:

Driver Training Associates, Inc. (DTA) is a defensive driving and traffic school course leader located in Sugar Land, TX.  DTA was started in 1977 as a classroom provider and now offers all of their courses in online formats as well.  The company is approved to offer Texas defensive driving, New York Defensive Driving, Florida traffic school, florida drivers license, advanced driver improvement courses.

Many people ask the question if they would be better off just paying the fine rather than taking a Texas defensive driving course (online or classroom).  My answer to that question is that in most cases it is always best to keep your driver record clean if you have the option. 

So if you are not familiar with the process, in Texas when you get a traffic ticket, you will be given a court date which you must appear in person or contact the court on or before that date to either dispute the ticket or let them know if you plan to just pay the fine, take a driver safety course (a.k.a defensive driving), or take some other action. 

Defensive Driving Courses Not That Expensive

Many people choose the defensive driving course option, but let’s see why this is probably the smartest choice.  If you pay the fine, then that traffic citation will go onto your driver record.  This is not a huge deal if you only have one ticket on your record, but if you are unfortunate enough to get multiple citations in short amount of time, or you were to be involved in a crash and you have tickets on your driver record, you can accumulate points that could trigger insurance premium increases or surcharges from the State.

For this reason, I always advocate taking a Texas defensive driving course if eligible to keep your driver record clean.  This way you are as far away as possible from ever experiencing these expensive premium increases or surcharges.  It is also worth mentioning that in most cases, even though you will still be required to pay a court fee when you choose defensive driving to take care of your ticket, it is still usually less expensive than paying for the ticket. 

For many folks, it is not about the money, it is more about the time.  Since online courses are now approved in Texas, this is less of an issue since the course is available 24 hours a day and you can log in and out at your convenience so that the course will fit into your schedule.   

It is for this reason that everyone should check out a state approved Texas defensive driving online course option, such as the one offered by Driver Training Associates, Inc.

DTA offers an extremely convenient online defensive-driving course that can be taken and completed according to the needs and preferences of students. In Virginia, these courses have been duly DMV and court approved as well. DTA’s system is cutting-edge; the company is credited with pioneering the use of video in their traffic-school programs, and other such technological innovations are incorporated too.

Virginia defensive driving courses are often imposed on drivers due to speeding tickets or having too many demerit points on one’s license. DTA’s innovative course can dismiss speeding tickets, satisfies the requirement for an eight-hour defensive driving course, can add up to five safe driving points to a license, and comes with a maximum 10% auto insurance discount.