Course Overview

This Defensive Driving Class is approved by the NJ-MVC.  The curriculum has been developed by American Safety Institute, Inc. a leader in educational program development.  The course can be taken individually online or in a group instructor led seminar.

The goals of the course are to increase your driving skills by refreshing your driving knowledge with a review of time tested safe driving tips, defensive driving strategies and an overview of today’s vehicle and traffic laws.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much time does the course take? 

A: Both the Online course and Seminar have  6 hours of instructional content.  Instructor led Seminars are usually held as  a single day session or two evening sessions.  The Online course is self paced, students have 180 days to complete the course.

 
Q: After I complete the course, how do I receive the point reduction? 

A: American Safety will notify the appropriate state MVC or DMV.

Q: Does taking this course remove points or violations from my driving record?

A: Completion of this course does not remove, delete, subtract or erase any violation, conviction or notice of original number of points from your driving record. Point reduction means that the MVC will not count up to 2 points (4 points in NY) on your driving record toward license revocation or suspension.

Q: I'm not sure if I'm eligible to take this course. How do I find out?

A: You must be a registered NJ driver to take the instructor led Seminar.  Registered drivers in NJ or NY can take the Online course, just select the appropriate link from the registration page.

Q: How long will it take me to complete the Online course? 

A:  The Online course is also 6 hours in length. You can take it at your own pace, starting and stopping as often as you like. The program will automatically bookmark your last location.  You must complete the Online course within 180 days of registration.

Q: What can you tell me about the quiz questions?

A: The Online course has Quiz questions that are based on the content of each section. Wrong answers are not counted against you on the final exam and the course allows you to go back and correct your answers.  Instructor led Seminars don't have quiz questions, it is part of the group discussion.

Q: How long is the final exam?

A: The Online course has a final exam. The length of the final exam will vary depending on how quickly you answer the questions.  There is no time limit for completion.  Instructor led Seminars have no final exam.

Q: What is the testing and grading policy?

A: You have the opportunity to retake the final exam if you fail. The regulatory agency in your state mandates how many attempts you will have to take the final exam.

Q: Is your website secure?

A: Yes. The Online course site has an encrypted SSL connection that requires all information sent between a client and a server to be encrypted by the sending software and decrypted by the receiving software, thus providing a high degree of confidentiality. Confidentiality is important for both parties to any private transaction. In addition, all data sent over an encrypted SSL connection is protected with a mechanism for detecting tampering--that is, for automatically determining whether the data has been altered in transit.

Q: The pages on the website are not loading. What should I do?

A: If the pages at the website are not loading completely, you may want to disconnect your internet connection and log back in. This type of problem is typically caused by your Internet Service Provider or ISP and web traffic. If you continue to experience problems, we recommend disconnecting and returning at a later time to complete the course when internet traffic is not as heavy. If you are still having problems, you may call customer support at 1-800-800-7121

Q: Do I need any special software to take the Online course?

A: You do not need any special software to use our course. All you need is a web browser and a connection to the internet. There is no software to download and nothing saved to your hard drive.

Q: Do I need to save my work?

A: Your registration and payment information are automatically saved. You must finish each chapter quiz completely in order to receive credit for that chapter. Simply log in using your user name and password and we automatically keep track of the course work completed, so the next time you log in, you can pick up where you left off.

Q: I forgot my password. How can I find out what it is?

A: Contact our customer service department at 1-800-800-7121 for help with login issues. 

Q: How long does it take for my certificate to be delivered?
 
A: Certificates are usually delivered within 14 days of course completion.  If you have any issues receiving your certificate contact customer service at 1-800-800-7121.

Q: What certificate delivery options do I have? 

A: For the Online course, certificates can be delivered via USPS or next day delivery service is also available.  Contact customer service at 1-800-800-7121.  Instructor led seminars need to have paperwork submitted for processing.  Certificates are delivered via USPS, speak to your seminar instructor if you need special delivery arrangements.

Q: My certificate is due today. Can I still take your course?

A: Time allowed for completion of courses and deadlines for submitting certificates of completion vary from court to court. We urge you to contact your court for this information to avoid taking this course and not receiving credit from the court.

Q: Do you send my certificate directly to the court?

A: We send the certificate directly to the participant.

Q: I need another copy of my certificate. How can I get one?

A: If you have lost your certificate or it contains incorrect information, you may contact a customer support representative at 1-800-800-7121 to request a certificate reprint.

Q: How do I make my payment?

A: For Online courses you may make your payment online during registration by using a credit card (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, or American Express) or  bank debit card with a Visa/MasterCard card logo.  For instructor led Seminars we accept cash or a personal check made out to Jersey Defensive Driving.

Q: I am a new driver. Do you offer first-time driver or teen driver education?

A: This course is not a replacement for drivers education classes. In many cases taking this class will get you an additional insurance premium discount.  Check with your insurance carrier first and ask them if they give an additional discount.

Q: What is the course completion policy?

A: You must complete all sections of the Online course and complete the final exam for the approved curriculum within 180 days of course registration in order to receive a certificate of completion. 

Instructor led Seminars require attendance for the entire length of the presentation.  There is no final exam in instructor led seminars.  Certificates of completion will be mailed to the address indicated on the participant registration form. 

Q: What is the course cancellation/refund policy?

A:  For the Online course, a full refund will be made to any student who cancels the course prior to completing 50% of the material and has been enrolled less than 180 days. There is no refund for any student who has not successfully completed the course within 180 days.

For instructor led Seminars, payment is due at the beginning of the Seminar. Participants who attend a split session class and miss the second session are allowed to attend another class session as a makeup. If no makeup classes are available the Seminar participant will receive a 50% refund.

Q:  What is the code of conduct policy?

A: For the Online course, no credit or completion will be given if the course is completed by anyone other than you or if you are assisted by an outside party. When you enroll in the Online course you are stating under penalty of perjury that you, and not another person, studied the material in its entirety and completed that chapter quizzes and the final exam. By registering for the Online course, you understand that it may be a felony to make false statements or to falsify documents submitted to the court.

Instructor led Seminars require the participant to attend all sessions. In the case of multi-day split sessions participants must attend all seminar sections to receive credit.  Participants are expected to actively participate and engage in discussions and to view all video material presented.  It is expected that all seminar participants will treat each other with respect and courtesy.