Florida Driver's Handbook 2009

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6. Other Information

• 6.1. First Aid Information
• 6.2. How to Get Your Driving Record
• 6.3. How to Get a Crash Report
• 6.4. Online Services
• 6.5. Sexual Offenders/Predators
• 6.6. Career Offender
• 6.7. Driving Schools

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Traffic Law Substance Abuse Education Course Providers

Reasons for Attending Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education

If you have never held a regular driver license in any state, country, or jurisdiction, you must complete a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education course before applying for a Learner's license in the state of Florida. The driver education courses offered by some county school boards may substitute for this requirement. Please contact your local school board for further information. If you are under 21 years old and receive a notice of suspension for driving with a BAL of .02 to .05, you must complete a Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education course in order to reinstate your driver license on a hardship basis.

Traffic Law and Substance Abuse Education Course Providers

The following is a list of approved course providers. Those providers who are approved to offer their course statewide may or may not offer schools in your area. Call to locate a school near you.

Advanced Driver Improvement Courses

Reasons for Attending Advanced Driver Improvement

If your driver license was suspended in the state of Florida for points or as a habitual traffic offender (non-DUI related), or by court order, you must complete an advanced driver improvement course.

Note: If you hold a Florida driver license and receive a ticket for a moving violation in Arizona, the state of Arizona may withhold adjudication if you complete a state-approved advanced driver improvement course.

To locate an approved online advanced driver improvement course, refer to your local telephone directory, or contact the course providers listed below.

Advanced Driver Improvement Course Providers

The following is a list of approved course providers. Those providers who are approved to offer their course statewide may or may not offer schools in your area. Call to locate a school near you.

Basic Driver Improvement Courses

Reasons for Attending Basic Driver Improvement

You must complete a basic driver improvement course (Traffic Collision Avoidance Course) if you want to retain your driver license in the following circumstance:

• you were a driver in a crash and are found at fault and someone was transported to the hospital or
• you had two crashes in a two-year period, which resulted in property damage greater than $50 or
• you are convicted of running a red light two times within 12 months

If you receive a ticket for a non-criminal moving violation, and you do not hold a commercial driver license, you may elect to attend a basic driver improvement course in lieu of points on your driving record.

In some cases, you may choose to attend a basic driver improvement course to receive insurance discounts. This discount is solely at the discretion of your insurance company.

Electing to Attend Traffic School

Drivers with a Class A, B, or C license, or drivers charged with exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 mph may not make an election under this subsection.

If, as a result of a moving violation, you elect to attend and complete a basic driver improvement course, you will receive the following benefits:

1. Your insurance rates cannot go up and your policy cannot be cancelled because of this violation, unless this involved a crash where you were at fault.
2. Points may not be added to your driver license record, adjudication of guilt is withheld, and safe driver status is maintained if applicable. You may not make an election under this subsection if you have made this election in the preceding 12 months. A person may make no more than five elections within ten years.

Within 30 days from the date you received the traffic citation and prior to attending class, you must:

1. inform the Clerk of Court in the county where you received the citation that you want to go to traffic school, and
2. pay an election fee to the Clerk of Court in the county where you received the citation.

You may contact the traffic school of your choice to register for class. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles must approve the course. Traffic schools are listed in your local telephone directory under "driving instruction" or "traffic schools." Approved course providers are also listed below. To locate an approved on-line basic driver improvement course, refer to your local telephone directory, or contact the course providers listed below.

A full list of your options for satisfying your traffic citation is on the back of the citation. You are required to choose one of the three options within 30 days of receiving the citation.

Basic Driver Improvement Course Providers

The following is a list of approved course providers. Those providers who are approved to offer their course statewide may or may not offer schools in your area. Call to locate a school near you.

Florida Licensed DUI Programs

The Bureau of Driver Education and DUI Programs provides the oversight for 26 licensed programs. The Bureau administers Rule 15A-10, F.A.C., including instructor certification and training, investigating complaints, processing client appeals, conducting site visits, maintaining quality assurance, coordinating trust fund, and evaluating programs' effectiveness.

The DUI programs are private and professional non-profit organizations that are required to provide education, a psychosocial evaluation and treatment referral services to DUI offenders to satisfy judicial and driver licensing requirements. Two educational services are offered - Level I for first-time offenders and Level II for multiple offenders. The Level I course is to be a minimum of 12 hours of classroom instruction and incorporates didactic and interactive educational techniques. The Level II course is a minimum of 21 hours of classroom time using primarily interactive educational techniques in a group setting. The average class size is not to exceed 15 students for Level II. This course focuses on the problems of the repeat offender and treatment readiness as the majority of students are referred to treatment. In no case is placement in Level II used in lieu of treatment.

Mature Driver/Insurance Discount Courses

Courses approved for the purpose of section 627.0652, Florida Statutes senior citizens discount insurance courses.