How do I get Defensive Driving Instruction?

With the many vehicles that are driven on major highways and rural streets around the world, obtaining proper driving instruction can be extremely beneficial. By receiving formal defensive driving instruction, you will learn how to best protect yourself and your vehicle. Driving defensively might not get you to a final destination in the fastest possible manner, which is more a feature of aggressive or offensive driving, but it is an approach to driving that likely will get you safely to your destination every time.

Defensive driving classes can be given in a classroom setting, over the Internet or presented in a recorded video format. Features of an online course might include an interactive screen for users, with graphics displaying potential driving scenarios. By selecting an online course, you can still have access to instructors by email and telephone communication. The benefit of an online course is that you can perform the coursework on your own schedule. Conduct an online search to find driving schools that offer defensive driving instruction courses over the Internet.

The most appropriate form of training depends largely on your schedule and proximity to driving safety classes that are held in a physical location. To find out where driving classes might be held in your area, call your local motor vehicle office or inquire at your local car insurance branch office. Training might be offered or sponsored by individual states or provinces because driving laws often vary locally.

By undergoing defensive driving instruction, you also become better able to react to a driving emergency. A roadside emergency might include suffering a flat tire or a dead battery. If a dead car battery is not recharged properly, this could lead to further problems. A defensive driving instruction course addresses the potential dangers that exist for drivers and the best ways to react to them.

The benefits of defensive driving instruction can be far-reaching and might include financial perks. Your car insurance rates could be lowered if you successfully complete the required courses. Certain driving schools even guarantee a reduction in insurance rates upon a course's completion. In some instances, a driving violation can be dismissed if the driver undergoes sufficient defensive driving training.

Depending on whether you are pursuing defensive driving for your own benefit or because it is required training by an employer, the program of instruction you select can vary. Transportation companies might use defensive driving programs to meet certain safety, training and risk-management goals. Students of defensive driving typically must complete the coursework during a designated period of time, although the work usually can be done at a student's leisure.

If the course takes place in a classroom setting, however, you must adhere to the schedule of that program. Regardless of the form, defensive driving is intended to reduce injuries and collisions on the road. When graduation from a defensive driving school is successfully achieved, you will receive a certificate of completion.