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Defensive driving courses might sound boring, but they are a valuable tool to improve your driving skills and gain more confidence and competence on the road.
Whether you’re choosing to take a defensive driving course for personal reasons, want to get an insurance discount, or have been ordered to take one in court, it’s important to find a good course that gives you the information you need.
Beyond just finding highly rated courses, it’s also important to look for a defensive driving course that works with your learning style and schedule. That’s why we’ve found some of the best defensive driving courses in New York, so you can pick the right course for you!
What Is A Defensive Driving Course?
Defensive driving courses help drivers identify possible risks on the road and respond appropriately. They cover subjects from dealing with speeding and reckless drivers on the road, to how to handle different road and weather conditions, and when it’s best to get off the road entirely.
Defensive driving courses also cover a range of conditions where it might not be safe for you to drive, from sleep deprivation to injury to medications. They also prioritize safe driving techniques even in good conditions, and how to more safely approach a range of dangerous driving conditions.
What Are The Benefits Of Taking a Defensive Driving Course?
One of the biggest benefits of taking a defensive driving course, especially for young drivers, is that they help teach you how to drive more safely and effectively. They’re a great option for anxious drivers, young drivers that are overly aggressive, or for people who have recently moved to a new state and need to learn about new road hazards and weather types.
Of course, many people take defensive driving courses for other reasons as well. For instance, in New York, passing an accredited defensive driving course gives you up to 10% off your car insurance costs for up to 3 years after the course.
Defensive driving courses are also a good idea for people with recent parking and traffic violations because they can take up to 4 points off your license. Points are eligible to be removed with a defensive driving course up to once every 18 months in most cases.
Taking a defensive driving course is a good way to protect your driving record and keep your license in good standing. Plus, it’s just a good way to learn to drive more safely and to respond to potentially dangerous situations well.
How Long Are Defensive Driving Courses In NY?
Defensive driving courses in New York vary in length a little depending on the course and format. In-person courses are almost always 6 hours long, and may or may not have bathroom and meal breaks. It’s best to plan a whole day if you’re hoping to take an in-person defensive driving course.
Online courses vary in length depending on the format and how fast you can read and absorb the material. Most courses are still designed for about 6 hours total length, though anywhere between 5-10 hours of time is common.
The advantage of virtual courses is that they don’t have to be completed in one go, so you have control over when, where, and how much you study at any time.
How Much Are Defensive Driving Courses?
Defensive driving courses are usually pretty reasonably priced in New York. The state has seen significant improvements in traffic accidents and other measures of traffic safety since implementing the courses, so the whole state is fairly motivated to keep defensive driving courses accessible.
Right now the average price for a defensive driving course is between $25-$50. Very few courses cost more than $50, and most are in the $35-$45 range.
The 10 Best New York Defensive Driving Courses
I Drive Safely
I Drive Safely offers some of the best user reviews and one of the more comprehensive defensive driving courses available in New York. The course is 100% virtual and designed to be completed at home in 10 simple modules.
The course is also available in two formats, a text-based format (with an optional audio upgrade) or a video version. Having two formats means this course works for people with a wide range of learning styles.
I Drive Safely offers up to 4 point reduction on your driving record, and a mandatory 10% reduction in your car insurance for up to 3 years after you take the course.
National Traffic Safety Institute
The National Traffic Safety Institute offers a defensive driving course customized for New York and kept constantly up to date with any changes in driving laws and regulations. It’s DMV accredited and also fully virtual so you can complete the course from the comfort of your own home.
This course is also eligible for the New York point reduction program and the insurance cost reduction program. Registering for this course is simple, and the portal is available 24/7 so you can work on the course whenever convenient.
This defensive driving course is only available in one format, but it does come with audio read-along settings to make it more accessible.
New York Safety Program
This 6-hour driving course is designed to be completed quickly and easily by drivers of all ages, skill levels, and situations. This course is available as an at-home course or in a classroom setting, whichever works better for you.
Like other accredited defensive driving courses, this program is eligible for the point reduction and insurance savings programs after you’ve completed the course. This program doesn’t have any quizzes or final exams, and passing is guaranteed as long as you complete the whole course.
AARP
AARP is another great option if you’re looking for a course that’s comprehensive and offers good insurance reductions. It’s also available at a discount to existing AARP members, which means it may be a more affordable option for some. This course covers usual defensive driving topics but also has special sections talking about avoiding driving distractions, avoiding drug and substance interactions while driving, and other important safety tips.
This course is available either online or in person. If you want to take the AARP defensive driving course in person you’ll have to find an AARP classroom location near you, which isn’t a guarantee.
Driver Training Associates
Driver Training Associates is a good option for users who learn best through video. They offer a lot of HD video and small video training as you work through the course to help make sure you’re absorbing the core concepts as you work.
An internal tracking system makes sure your progress is always available in the system, no matter when you’re logging in or how much you get done in a single session. Plus, the online format is designed to be user-friendly and accessible, even if you don’t have any experience with online classes.
Improv Comedy Traffic School
Improv and comedy might seem a strange focus for a driving school, much less a defensive driving course, but don’t be fooled. This program focuses on using humor and entertaining lessons to help course information stick. It’s a great option if you have a hard time learning from a textbook or standard lecture format.
This course is also a great way to shake things up if you’ve taken defensive driving courses before since the humor keeps things interesting.
The Improv Comedy Driving School offers a range of programs, including some for commercial drivers and a defensive driving renewal that streamlines the process if you’re taking the course again within 3 years.
Drive Rite Academy
Drive Rite Academy is a classroom-based course with 3 locations, two in Brooklyn and one on Staten Island. The course is 6 hours long, no matter what location you choose, and covers a wide range of different defensive driving techniques as well as the importance of avoiding substance use while driving.
This course is also eligible for the 10% insurance cost reduction, as well as New York State’s point reduction program.
New York Commercial Driving School
While the New York Commercial Driving School focuses on getting commercial and professional drivers up to speed before they’re on the road in company vehicles, they also offer a comprehensive defensive driving course for personal-use vehicles. This course is particularly useful for drivers who are uncomfortable around commercial vehicles, or who want to know more about driving safely around commercial vehicles.
National Safety Council
The National Safety Council offers an online defensive driving course designed to make it easy to get your course completed anywhere you are. The portal works on computers, smartphones, and tablets. It’s available all the time, and you can log in and do coursework from any location with a good enough connection.
This course has no final exam, which is great for learners who get test anxiety. Certification and DMV processing are both free, though you will still have to inform your insurance company.
Professional Driving School of the Americas
While most of the courses from the Professional Driving School of the Americas are designed to help new and anxious drivers overcome driving challenges, they also have a great defensive driving program for all users.
Classes are typically offered in person, but the Professional Driving School of the Americas is doing teleconferencing for some courses to offer safer classes during Covid.
