by
John Fabel | Last Updated: September 29, 2022 There are many reasons to take a traffic school course:
- The Big One—You got yourself a ticket
- The Smart One—You’d like to save some money on insurance
- The “Have-to” One—You drive a vehicle for work, and the boss says you gotta
- The Incredibly Rare One—You want to brush up your skills to become a better driver
The question is, how are you going to get it behind you? My kid brother is fond of saying that if you give the hardest job to the laziest man, he’ll find the easiest way to do it with the least amount of effort expended.
As with most anything else in our lives these days, the “easiest way” is to do it online. There are a few classroom courses still to be found, and classroom courses can be fun. However, if you fall into the category my brother speaks of, an internet course is probably the best option.
I do realize that if you have already Googled “Florida traffic school,” you probably choked at the number of options available. How do you know where to begin?
We’d like to give you a hand here. We’re going to discuss eligibility requirements for Florida driver safety courses and give a quick review of the five Florida providers that we think are the best. And, if you don’t agree with us, we’ll also provide a list of all the current providers in the state. So get ready to do some scrolling; it’s a pretty long list.
For ticket dismissal, traffic school is generally the best way to deal with it, but you do have other options.
Who Is Eligible to Attend Traffic School?
The answer to that question depends on why you are taking the course. If you are taking it for a job requirement or an insurance discount, there are no restrictions on whether or not you can take a course. On the other hand, if ticket dismissal is your goal, the Florida DHSMV has some rules you must follow.
BTW—If this is your first time taking a course, you may notice that sometimes I say “driver safety” and other times I say “traffic school.” In Florida, courts call them “driver improvement courses” while some providers might call them defensive driving or driver safety classes. Not to worry; as long as the course is approved by the FLDHSMV it will get the job done, no matter what it’s called.
- Drivers CAN attend traffic school if:
- Any driver charged with a moving or non-moving traffic violation that would result in points assessed to their driving record
- They have not attended traffic school for a violation in the last 12 months or have dismissed a ticket with defensive driving five times in the past
On the other hand…
- Drivers CAN NOT attend traffic school:
- For criminal offenses
- If the driver holds a commercial driver’s license (CDL)
The full process for ticket dismissal is individual by county. For example, Broward County says this:
- If you choose to elect driving school, you must pay the fine payment (along with an additional $7.00 driving school affidavit fee) and submit a completed Driving School Affidavit within 30 days from the date the citation was issued.
- Enroll with an approved State of Florida driving school and complete the driving school course within 90 days of your election. Upon completion, send the original certificate of completion to the Broward Clerk of Courts.
- You may not exceed five driving school elections in a lifetime. Failure to complete the driving school course within 90 days will result in the assessment of points, additional fees, and a possible driver’s license suspension.
- This option is not available if you have a commercial driver’s license or have been charged with exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 MPH.
If you’ve checked with your county and you are eligible, let’s find you a course. On the other hand, if you have some more questions about how the whole process works, here is some info that you might find useful.
Our Recommendations (The Top 5)
Florida’s Top-Rated, Florida DHSMV Approved Online Traffic Schools
Website | Name | Phone | Register NOW! |
#1 in FL!  | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 |
Let’s Break ‘Em Down
More than anything, online traffic school courses offer freedom and schedule flexibility not found in a classroom course. So what makes one better than another? Let’s look at a few reasons, plus what their students say about them.
Ticket School
A provider of ticket dismissal and insurance reduction courses for over three decades, Ticket School holds the distinction of being the first school to emphasize the important role that attitude and emotions play in a person’s driving. Are their methods effective? Studies in Illinois, Texas, and New York indicate that they do. Taking a course from Ticket School won’t just take care of your ticket today; it may help keep you safer on the roads for years to come!
- What students are saying—
- Dru E. says, “It was an excellent course. Thank you for opening my eyes!”
- Brian C. says, “The videos are good and random questions throughout the course keep you focused.”
- Jeremy C. says, “I completely enjoyed the whole course.”
- Advantages of Ticket School
- Industry leader and innovator
- 30 years in the driver training space
- Fully approved by the Florida DHSMV
I Drive Safely
iDriveSafely was also one of the industry’s first online driver safety providers. They have served over 5,000,000 customers over their long history and have maintained a very good reputation. The school has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau and a nearly 5-star rating on TrustPilot.
- What students are saying—
- Mary N. says, “The course was easy to follow.”
- John S. says, “It was specific to my state and very thorough.”
- Janet W. says, “I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was.”
- Advantages of I Drive Safely
- Trusted by 5,000,000 customers
- Great ratings by customers, Trustpilot, and the BBB
- Works well on mobile devices
Aceable Online Traffic School
Now we turn our attention from one of the oldest courses in Florida to one of the newest, Aceable defensive driving. The company launched in 2006 with a revolutionary driver’s ed phone app, and they have been innovating and disrupting ever since.
The company, headquartered in Austin, then developed a traffic school course on this same platform, making it hands down the best traffic school course to take on a mobile device. The course was developed by a team of driving experts and online learning specialists from Harvard, so you can be sure the information contained in the course is not only accurate and powerful but is presented in a way to ensure maximum retention. Aceable is certainly the way to go for traffic school on the go.
- What students are saying—
- Eliseo says, “Absolutely amazing, highly recommended.”
- Logan says, “Amazing. Taught me a lot!”
- Emmett says, “The way Aceable is set up great for people who are working jobs and going to school.”
- Advantages of Aceable
- One-of-a-kind phone app
- Customer service available through email, live chat, or social media
- Money-back guarantee
DefensiveDriving.com
This traffic school might be considered “the Grandaddy of them all.” After all, they have been at it long enough to nab the domain DefensiveDriving.com! You can’t argue with history. Opened in February of 2000, it’s been one of the top names in online education for over 20 years. Another fact that DefensiveDriving.com is proud of is their average 4.7 (out of 5) rating from over 100,000 reviews on ShopperApproved.com. The numbers don’t lie. You’re in good hands with this online course.
- What students are saying—
- Vanessa says, “Very easy site to navigate through…I feel the course has raised my driver awareness, and it would be a benefit for all drivers!”
- David says, “Great and convenient!”
- Jennifer says, “I had a great experience with the site.”
- Advantages of DefensiveDriving.com
- Live chat and phone assistance available
- Animations and videos to help make time go by faster
- Same-day certificate processing
Traffic School by My Improv
My Improv started in the driving business over 30 years ago and was founded in partnership with the World-Famous Improv Comedy Club. Professional Hollywood writers wrote their course and the curriculum, while addressing a serious subject, does so in a humorous and light-hearted way. As an added bonus, they will throw in four tickets to your nearest Improv comedy Club if you choose their course.
- What students are saying—
- Guillermo G. says, “I really recommend this online driving school…”
- Saurabh G. says, “The entire process is simple, with a nice interface!”
- Casey W. says, “As blissful as traffic school can get.”
- Advantages of MyImprov
- Humorous
- Flexible
- Short (as little as two-question) unit quizzes
If None of These “Float Your Boat”
Florida has more (a LOT more) online defensive driving/traffic school choices. Here’s a list of all the ones we know of.
More Florida DHSMV Approved Online Traffic School Providers
Website | Name | Phone | Register NOW! |
| | |||
 | |||
| | |||
 | |||
| | |||
| | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | Gold Traffic School (Miami-Dade County Citations Only) | ||
 | |||
 | Too Cool Traffic School (Hillsborough County Only) | ||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 | |||
 |
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
REVIEW: New York’s Top Online PIRP Providers
If you need a New York PIRP course, how do you weed through the kazillion choices out there? Let us help with our look at the Top 3.
Can You Pause a Texas Defensive Driving Course?
Have to take defensive driving? Wondering where you'll find the time? Find out how you can take a course that will fit your busy life.
Which Insurance Companies Offer Defensive Driving Discounts?
Many insurance companies offer a variety of insurance discounts for completing a defensive driving course. Are you missing out on the savings?
Get Started! Texas Defensive Driving
If you need a Texas defensive driving course, check out how you can get going fast. After all, the faster you get started, the faster it'll be over!
Get Started! Virginia Driver Improvement
If you need Virginia driver improvement, check out how you can get going fast. After all, the faster you get started, the faster it'll be over!
REVIEW: Alabama’s Top Online Traffic Schools
If you need an AL defensive driving course, how do you weed through the kazillion choices out there? Let us help with our look at the Top 3.