California Traffic School

Benefits of California Traffic School

Completing a California DMV-licensed traffic school offers several important benefits for drivers who qualify. Whether you're looking to resolve a recent traffic citation or simply become a safer driver, traffic school can help you in the following ways:

• Mask a Traffic Violation: Successfully completing traffic school prevents a qualifying violation from appearing on your public driving record, helping to protect your driving history.
• Prevent Insurance Increases: Since the violation is hidden from your record, insurance companies typically won't raise your premiums based on the ticket.
• Refresh Your Driving Knowledge: The course provides a valuable refresher on California traffic laws, defensive driving techniques, and safe driving habits.

Taking traffic school is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your driving record while becoming a more confident, informed driver.

How to Find a DMV Approved School

California DMV website provides an official list of approved traffic schools. There are over 300 DMV approved traffic schools in the state of California that offer online courses and in-person classes. Such variety makes it quite difficult to make a decision. We recommend you a course from I Drive Safely. This is an established company with a good reputation for quick and easy online traffic school courses.

What Is California Traffic School

Traffic school in California is an educational program approved by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) that allows eligible drivers to mask a traffic violation from their public driving record. This means the violation won't count against you when insurance companies check your driving history.

You may take a DMV-licensed traffic school course to avoid long-term consequences of a minor ticket—such as insurance premium increases.

Who Is Eligible

You may be eligible for California Traffic School if:

• You received a 1-point ticket for a moving violation (e.g., speeding, failure to stop)
• Your violation is not alcohol- or drug-related
• You hold a valid driver's license
• You have not attended traffic school in the past 18 months
• Your citation was issued for driving a non-commercial vehicle

Note: The court handling your case will determine your eligibility and must grant you permission to attend traffic school.

What You'll Learn

During the course, you'll review important topics such as California traffic laws and road signs, defensive driving habits, hazard avoidance techniques, and the impact of distracted, impaired, and aggressive driving. You'll also learn safe driving strategies for different road and weather conditions. The content is presented in a user-friendly format with visuals and videos to keep you engaged.

How It Works

1. Get a court approval to attend traffic school
2. Enroll online anytime
3. Complete the course at your own pace, when it's convenient for you; log in and out as needed
4. Download or receive via mail your certificate from Defensive Driving course provider
5. Results are electronically reported to the DMV and the court
6. Submit certificate to your insurance company

The course includes multiple-choice quizzes and a short final exam, which you must pass to earn your completion certificate. Most students pass on their first try, and free retakes are often included.