About Defensive Drivers Institute

Our Story

Defensive Drivers Institute was founded on a straightforward idea: driver education should be accessible, affordable, and actually useful. Too many traffic schools treated their courses as an afterthought — a box to check, not a chance to learn. We set out to change that.

Today, DDI provides online driver education courses nationwide, serving drivers in every stage of life — from teens earning their first license to seniors refreshing their skills and saving on insurance. In states where specific agency approvals are required, we hold them: the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), the Connecticut DMV, the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and others. Where state law allows approved online courses to fulfill requirements, we’ve built programs that meet or exceed those standards.

We’re headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, but our students are everywhere — from senior drivers in Minnesota qualifying for a 10% insurance discount to first-time teens in Florida completing their 6-hour DETS course, to Texas drivers dismissing a speeding ticket before their court deadline.

What We Offer

DDI provides a full range of driver education programs tailored to different needs, ages, and state requirements.

Ticket Dismissal & Point Reduction

Received a traffic citation? In many states, completing an approved defensive driving course can dismiss your ticket, prevent points from hitting your license, or both. Our courses in Texas, Arizona, Missouri, Virginia, and Indiana are all state-approved for this purpose. We also offer general defensive driving courses that drivers nationwide can use to sharpen their skills and potentially qualify for insurance savings through their provider.

Mature Driver Insurance Discounts

Drivers aged 55 and older (60+ in some states) can qualify for auto insurance premium reductions — mandated by state law in many cases — by completing an approved accident prevention course. In states like Minnesota, the law guarantees a minimum 10% discount. We offer mature driver courses in Minnesota, Florida, Connecticut, Oregon, Washington, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and more.

New Driver Education

Getting your first license is a milestone. Our Florida 6-Hour DETS Course prepares teens under 18 with the Drug, Alcohol, and Traffic Education Safety curriculum required before they can get behind the wheel. Our New York 5-Hour Pre-Licensing Course fulfills the mandatory requirement for all new applicants before scheduling a road test. We also offer driver education resources for adult learners looking to get licensed for the first time.

Specialized State Programs

Some states have unique programs with specific requirements. Oregon’s Distracted Driving Avoidance Course (DDAC) is a court-ordered diversion program. North Dakota has separate courses for point reduction and insurance premium reduction. We build each course to meet the exact statutory and regulatory standards of that state — not a one-size-fits-all template.

How Our Courses Work

100% Online

Every course runs on any device — desktop, tablet, or phone. No downloads, no app installs, no classroom visits. Start from your couch, finish from a coffee shop.

Self-Paced

Log in and out as many times as you need. Your progress is saved automatically. Complete the course in one sitting or spread it across a week — your choice.

Instant Certificate

Pass the final assessment and your completion certificate is available immediately. For courses that require state reporting, we handle the paperwork on your behalf.

Court Integration Services

For courts and legal professionals, DDI offers integration services that streamline the referral and tracking process. When a judge orders a defendant to complete a driver improvement course, our system can verify enrollment, monitor completion, and report results — reducing administrative burden for court staff while ensuring defendants meet their obligations on time.

Why Choose DDI

Approved Where It Matters
In states that require specific agency approval for driver education, we hold those certifications. Where the law allows general defensive driving courses to fulfill requirements, our curriculum meets or exceeds the standards. Either way, you’re getting a course that’s been built with state regulations in mind — not a generic template.

Built for Each Program
A Texas ticket-dismissal course has different legal requirements than a Connecticut mature driver discount course. We build each program from the ground up to match that state’s statutes, curriculum mandates, and reporting requirements.

Transparent Pricing
Our course prices are listed clearly on each page. No hidden fees, no surprise charges for certificates or processing.

Responsive Support
Questions come up — about court deadlines, insurance submissions, or how a specific state program works. Our support team is available by phone at (833) 921-0217, by email, and by live chat to help you through it.

Real Student Reviews
We’re rated on Trustpilot and Google, where real students share their experiences. We’d rather let our work speak for itself than fill this page with marketing superlatives.

Data Security
All data transmitted through our site is encrypted via HTTPS using TLS/SSL. We don’t store credit card information, and we don’t sell or share your personal data. Your information is used to issue your certificate and comply with state reporting requirements — nothing more.

Our Commitment

Driver education isn’t just about checking a box. Every person who takes one of our courses goes back out onto real roads, around real people. That’s a responsibility we take seriously.

Our courses cover defensive driving techniques, state-specific traffic laws, the effects of aging and medications on driving ability, hazard recognition, and strategies for handling adverse conditions. We use video, interactive scenarios, and knowledge checks to keep the material engaging — because a course people actually pay attention to is a course that makes roads safer.

If you have questions about which course is right for your situation, check our comprehensive FAQ pages — we’ve built detailed guides for each state program with answers to hundreds of common questions, all citing the specific statutes and regulations that govern each course.

Ready to Get Started?

Find your state’s course and start today — at your own pace, from any device.