DMV online driving course material is now available from several providers. If you are in need of a defensive driving program, it is no longer necessary to go into a traditional classroom to sit through a boring lecture. The spread of web applications has allowed for the development of this convenient new way to satisfy your driver safety school requirements, and your experience can be quite engaging if you find the right online traffic schools to meet your needs.

One thing to look for in a DMV online driving course is approval by your Department of Motor Vehicles or the equivalent governing body in your area. In Florida, this group is called the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV). In Texas, it’s the Texas Education Agency (TEA). In Maryland, it’s the Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). Each of these groups has the authority to approve specific driver safety school requirements.

If you have been ordered to take traffic school by a judge, you should check with the court that issued your citation. In some areas, online schools are approved on a court-by-court basis, and one court could allow you to take a class online while another might not.

Another group whose approval you need to seek is that of auto insurance providers. In many locations, you can receive a discount on your auto insurance premium if you take an approved defensive driving course. This discount is renewable every three years. Many states require the insurance discount for senior citizens, and specify the minimum percentage discount that must be applied. However, a large number of insurance providers like to offer this opportunity to receive a discount to their customers even though they are not required to do so, by offering it in states that do not mandate it, or by lowering the eligible age, or by raising the applicable discount. There could be a distinct financial advantage to taking an approved course online, so check with your insurance company and see what they are willing to do for you.

Once you’ve determined that the governing body dictating your need for traffic school will approve a certificate of completion from the online provider you’ve chosen, there are other factors to consider. One important area where online schools differ is in customer service. The level and quality of service available to you could end up meaning the difference between a positive and a negative experience.

Consider Student 1, who chooses School 1. There is no need for assistance until 10:00 on Friday evening, when suddenly he has a question about the class. He calls the customer service number, and after several minutes of trying to navigate an automated menu system, he is finally told that they will be open for business at 9:00 Monday morning. That student has just lost a weekend because he didn’t realize he’d need excellent customer service. Student 2 chose School 2, and needed assistance at the same time. His school had 24-hour live customer service available, and a representative answered his question. He finished his course over the weekend. Remember this scenario when choosing your school.