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Defensive driving school in Washington is something many drivers have to go through at one point or another. The reason for that is the fact that successfully completing a defensive driving course in the state can oftentimes result in the deferral or dismissal of a traffic ticket, saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Defensive Driving Course Eligibility in Washington

Benefits of defensive driving courses in Washington include traffic ticket deferral, learning how to be a safer driver, and potentially even reducing the price of your monthly car insurance premiums. Great, right? Unfortunately, not everybody qualifies to be able to take one of these courses.

The exact requirements that must be met to be eligible for a defensive driving course in Washington are set by local courts and will depend on your judge. However, here are a few common eligibility requirements:

• The moving violation you’re charged with must not have involved an accident.
• You may not have been convicted of a moving violation or traffic crime within the past two years.
• You may not have participated in traffic ticket deferment within the past two years.
• You must not have a commercial driver license (CDL).
• You must have a valid driver license.

Levels of Washington Defensive Driving Course

Washington’s defensive driving courses are separated into two levels conveniently called Level 1 and Level 2. The Level 1 course is designed to serve as a shorter, introductory course that provides the basic essentials that a student in a defensive driving course should learn. The Level 2 course takes it a step further and builds on that information to provide a full and complete driver’s education experience.

Level 1

The Level 1 defensive driving course in Washington is the least extensive of the two levels. That being said, it still provides a comprehensive and informative educational experience—though, not in as much detail as the Level 2 course does. That being said, not everybody needs (or is required) to take a Level 2 course. In those cases, taking a Level 1 course might be the preferable option.

This four-hour course covers the essential rules of the road and driving regulations, including a breakdown of street signs, markings, indicators, lights, lane striping, and much, much more. Most of these courses are administered via a bit of video content followed by a final assessment. You must watch all of the videos in their entirety and pass the final exam in order to earn your certificate of completion and satisfy court requirements.

The majority of drivers who enroll in Level 1 defensive driving courses in Washington have few, if any, traffic violations on their record. And the violations of those who do have violations on their record are typically minor.

Before enrolling in a Level 1 defensive driving course, be sure to consult with an attorney on the WinIt app to determine whether this course is right for you. In some cases, you might not qualify for a Level 1 course and may be required to take a Level 2 course.

Level 2

Level 2 defensive driving courses are far more comprehensive and all-inclusive than the more common Level 1 courses. Whereas Level 1 courses are only four hours long, Level 2 courses take a minimum of eight hours to complete.

These courses include much of the same content as what is included in Level 1 courses, but with significantly more detail. For example, these courses will typically cover everything from the basics (like street signs and markings) to more advanced driving knowledge (like how to steer out of a slide or how to defend yourself from an aggressive driver).

Most people who enroll in Level 2 courses do so because they have been required to by their local court.

Washington Defensive Driving Eligibility for Ticket Deferral

Similarly to how there are eligibility requirements for taking a defensive driving course in the first place, there are also eligibility requirements for getting a traffic ticket deferred or dismissed through defensive driving courses. Those requirements are outlined below:

• Your ticket must be for a minor moving violation.
• You may not have deferred a previous ticket within the last seven years.
• You cannot have any other citations pending.

If your ticket is for a major moving violation like hit and run or evading police, you will not be able to have it deferred or dismissed just by completing a defensive driving course. The same is true if you happen to have obtained a defensive-driving-course-based deferment within the last seven years or if you have another outstanding traffic ticket.

How Often May I Take a Driver Improvement Course in Washington?

You can take a defensive driving course in Washington once every seven years. You will not be allowed to enroll in or obtain a certificate of completion for any official, state-approved defensive driving courses until at least seven years after the completion of your first defensive driving course.

That being said, you can still enroll in various kinds of fleet training and driver education courses, but those will not lead to the deferral of any traffic tickets.

Can I Earn an Insurance Discount from Taking a Washington Defensive Driving Course?

Yes you can! Successfully completing a state-approved defensive driving course in Washington can enable you to earn up to 10% off of your car insurance premiums. To find out how much you could save, multiply your annual car insurance cost by 0.10. Of course, how much you will actually save will depend on who your insurance provider is, which kind of course you’ve completed, and a few other factors.