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John Fabel | Last Updated: February 3, 2023 Taking a defensive driving course rarely appears high on anyone’s to-do list, but if you have a ticket to dismiss or would like to save a little money on your car insurance, there’s really no easier way. Not ready to jump in yet? Here are a few more answers that may help you decide.
Answers in this post:
Can You Do Online Traffic School in Arizona?
How Long is Online Traffic School in AZ?
Am I Eligible for Arizona Defensive Driving?
What are the Benefits of Taking an AZ Defensive Driving Course?
What Traffic Schools are Arizona Court Approved?
Can You Take Defensive Driving Online in Arizona?
Absolutely. Arizona drivers have enjoyed the convenience of online traffic school for many years. An online course offers the best and easiest way to complete a defensive driving course. In addition, an online course allows you to get the job done quickly and easily on a schedule and at a pace that works for you. Work on it whenever you have a few minutes, and it will be over before you know it.
Since the approval of online defensive driving in Arizona, courses have continued to improve over the years. The first courses were mainly text-driven, but nowadays include a mix of videos to make the task less labor-intensive. Many online providers even have 100% video courses available.
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How Long Does It Take to Complete AZ Traffic School Online?
An Arizona online defensive driving course is timed to last between 4 and 41/2 hours. Here’s another way that online is the better way to go; after all, who has the time to sit in a classroom for the better part of five hours anymore? With an online course, you can log in and out as often as you like. Work on it a few minutes at a time, and it will be over before you know it. Just be careful not to take too casual an approach. In Arizona, you must complete your course no less than seven days before your court date.
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How Do I Know if I am Eligible to Take Defensive Driving?
That depends on the reason you are taking the course. There are no restrictions if you are taking the course for a job requirement or for an insurance discount.
On the other hand, f you are looking to dismiss a ticket, the Arizona Courts website lays out who can and can’t take defensive driving. In most cases, drivers are eligible unless:
- You have taken defensive driving to dismiss a traffic ticket in the last 12 months
- You were involved in a serious injury or fatality accident
- Your citation doesn’t appear on the approved list of violations
- Your ticket was received from Arizona DPS photo enforcement
It must be noted that, even in these circumstances, some courts may still allow you to take defensive driving. The most important thing to remember is this: No matter what, talk to your court FIRST before signing up for any course.
If you are looking for an insurance discount, the best place to start is with a call to your agent. Most companies offer some type of discount to policyholders who take defensive driving, and these discounts a generally good for three years. If your company doesn’t offer such discounts, there are plenty who do. Do a little research and see how much switching companies could save you.
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How Will I Benefit from Taking Arizona Defensive Driving?
If you have received a ticket in Arizona, taking a course will dismiss the ticket. You will be required to pay a minimal court cost and pay for the course, but both of these fees together will likely be far less than the cost of the citation.
With your ticket dismissed, you won’t face points being added to your driving record. This is important as driving record points can result in higher insurance premiums and put your license at risk of suspension.
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What Defensive Driving Course is Approved by Arizona?
Well, our recommended course certainly is, as well as many others. When choosing a course, be sure the one you take is approved by the Arizona Supreme Court. A Supreme Court-approved course is the only one your court will accept for ticket dismissal, so it’s important to check before you sign up. We’d hate to see you have to do all that work twice.
For help deciding, you can read reviews of our number one choice (as well as a couple of others), or you can just get started with any of the other fine, Arizona Supreme Court-approved providers in the chart below. And if three choices aren’t enough, here’s a place where you can see them all. So get ready to do some scrolling; there’s a bunch!
John Fabel
I have a long and checkered history with defensive driving. I took my first "court invited" course at age 15 and realized immediately that there had to be a better way. Since that first experience, I have gone on to teach defensive driving classroom courses and to author four internet courses in 2 states. After nearly 25 years in the industry, I can help you find a course that will be the best fit for you.Recommended Reading
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