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Traffic Survival School & Point Reduction Guide
A Complete Guide to Arizona's Defensive Driving Program, Eligibility, and Point Removal Process
If you've received a traffic citation in Arizona for a moving violation, you have options beyond simply paying the fine and accepting points on your driving record. Arizona's defensive driving school program is one of the most effective tools available to drivers who want to dismiss a ticket, reduce insurance costs, and avoid accumulating points on their record.
Defensive driving school is a traffic safety education program designed to help Arizona drivers improve their skills and knowledge behind the wheel. By completing an approved defensive driving course, you can have your ticket dismissed and have up to 3 points removed from your Arizona Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) driving record. This can save you hundreds of dollars in insurance premiums over time and help you avoid license suspension from point accumulation.
In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about Arizona's defensive driving program, including how it works, who's eligible, what the course covers, and how the point removal process actually functions. Whether you're looking to dismiss a recent speeding ticket or understand your options after a traffic violation, this guide will provide you with the detailed information you need to make an informed decision.
The standard defensive driving school program is a voluntary option available to Arizona drivers who have received a traffic citation for an eligible violation. This program is designed for drivers who want to take a proactive approach to improving their driving skills and avoiding the negative consequences of a traffic violation.
When you enroll in a defensive driving course on a voluntary basis, you're essentially asking the court for a "one-time courtesy" to dismiss your ticket in exchange for completing the educational program. You'll spend 4-5 hours in the classroom or online learning about traffic safety, defensive driving techniques, and Arizona traffic laws.
Key characteristics of voluntary defensive driving school include:
Traffic Survival School (TSS) is a different program that you don't choose—you're ordered by the MVD or court to attend. This 8-hour course is mandatory for Arizona drivers who accumulate too many points on their driving record within a specific timeframe or who commit certain serious violations.
The purpose of TSS is to intervene in cases where a driver's behavior suggests a pattern of unsafe driving. Rather than dismissing a ticket, TSS is meant to educate drivers about the serious consequences of unsafe driving and teach them how to modify their behavior before their license is suspended.
Key differences in Traffic Survival School include:
While both programs are traffic safety education, they serve different purposes. Defensive driving school helps you dismiss a single ticket, while Traffic Survival School is an intervention tool for drivers showing a pattern of unsafe driving.
Not every traffic violation qualifies for defensive driving school in Arizona. The state has established specific eligibility criteria that determine whether you can use this program to dismiss your ticket.
The most important eligibility rule is the "once every 12 months" requirement. You can only use defensive driving school once per 12-month period, even if you receive multiple traffic tickets. This means you need to strategically choose which ticket to dismiss using this program if you've received more than one violation.
Defensive driving school is available for most non-serious moving violations, including:
Several types of violations disqualify you from using defensive driving school to dismiss your ticket:
Even if your violation appears to be eligible, the court that issued your citation must approve your participation in defensive driving school. While most courts approve eligible violations, some have local policies that may affect approval. Additionally, if you've already used defensive driving school within the past 12 months, you'll be ineligible to use it again, regardless of the violation.
It's crucial to contact the court listed on your citation to verify your eligibility before enrolling in a course. Many courts allow you to apply for diversion to defensive driving school by phone, online, or in person.
Arizona's approved defensive driving curricula are designed to improve driving skills and safety knowledge. While different schools may have slightly different approaches, all approved courses must cover Arizona's traffic laws and essential defensive driving principles.
Standard topics covered in defensive driving courses include:
Upon completion, students typically take a final exam to verify they've mastered the course material. Most courses require a passing score of 70% or higher to receive a certificate of completion.
One of the primary benefits of completing defensive driving school is the removal of points from your Arizona driving record. Understanding how this process works is important for managing your long-term driving history.
Arizona uses a point system to track driver infractions. Different violations result in different point values:
Your driving record accumulates points, and reaching certain thresholds triggers consequences. Arizona's license suspension schedule is:
When you successfully complete defensive driving school and submit your certificate to the court, the court notifies the MVD of your completion. The MVD then removes up to 3 points from your driving record that resulted from the violation for which you took the course.
It's important to understand that defensive driving school only removes the specific points from the violation for which you enrolled. If you were cited for a violation worth 2 points, 2 points are removed. If cited for a 3-point violation, all 3 are removed. However, the removal never exceeds 3 points even if your violation was worth more.
The point removal is permanent and effective immediately upon the MVD's update to your driving record. This can prevent license suspension and help you maintain lower insurance rates.
The process of using defensive driving school to dismiss your ticket involves several important steps, and the court's requirements are critical to understand.
Before enrolling in a course, you must request approval from the court that issued your citation. This request is typically called "motion for diversion" or "deferred prosecution." Some courts handle this automatically with certain violations, while others require you to formally request it.
Most Arizona courts allow you to request diversion by:
Once you request diversion, the court typically approves or denies your request within a few days. It's important to receive written approval before enrolling in a course, as some schools require court approval documentation.
The court will specify a deadline for completing your defensive driving course, typically 30-60 days from approval. It's crucial to complete the course and obtain your certificate within this timeframe. If you miss the deadline, your diversion may be canceled and you'll owe the fine plus court costs.
After completing your course, you'll receive a certificate of completion. You must submit this certificate to the court within the specified timeframe. The certificate proves that you successfully completed an approved defensive driving course.
Submit your certificate by:
Once the court receives your certificate and verifies that you completed an approved course within the deadline, your citation is dismissed. The court typically sends you written confirmation, and the MVD is notified to remove the points from your record.
Arizona's defensive driving school program has been in place for several decades and reflects the state's commitment to both traffic safety and giving drivers a second chance to improve their behavior.
The program was established based on the principle that education can be more effective than punishment alone in modifying driver behavior. Research shows that drivers who complete a comprehensive traffic safety course have lower recidivism rates and fewer future violations than drivers who simply pay fines.
Arizona's approach aligns with national traffic safety standards. Many states offer similar programs, though the specific rules vary. Arizona's one-violation-per-12-months rule is fairly standard, as is the 3-point removal limit.
The program serves multiple purposes:
Over time, Arizona has modernized the program to include online options, making it more accessible to busy drivers. This flexibility has helped more drivers participate in the program and improve their driving skills.
No. If you successfully complete defensive driving school and have your ticket dismissed, the violation will not appear on your MVD driving record as a conviction. However, some agencies (like your insurance company) may still have a record of the initial citation through other sources.
Points are typically removed from your record within 30-60 days after the court receives your certificate and notifies the MVD. You can verify the removal by requesting your driving record from the MVD.
No. The once-every-12-months rule means you can only use defensive driving school once per year. If you have multiple violations, you'll need to choose which one to dismiss using this program and address the others differently.
Yes. Because the violation is dismissed and points are removed, you'll typically see a positive impact on your insurance rates. Insurance companies use driving records to calculate premiums, so removing violations helps keep your rates lower over time.
Tempe Municipal Court
Phoenix Municipal Court
Chandler Municipal Court
Goodyear Municipal Court