If I Do Traffic School Will My Insurance Go Up?
Does traffic school prevent insurance hikes? Learn how your driving record and rates are affected by a completed course.
A common concern for many drivers is how a traffic ticket might affect their car insurance rates and driving record. Traffic school often presents itself as a potential way to mitigate these consequences, offering a path to manage the effects of a violation on both your record and your insurance premiums.
Understanding Traffic Violations and Car Insurance
Traffic violations can significantly influence car insurance premiums. Insurance companies assess risk when determining rates, and a driver’s record is a primary indicator of that risk. Your driving history, often called a Motor Vehicle Report (MVR), tracks incidents like traffic violations, accidents, and license status. Insurance providers regularly review this report.
When a driver receives a traffic ticket, points may be added to their driving record under a state’s point system. Accumulating too many points signals to insurers that a driver is a higher risk, leading to increased premiums. Even minor violations can cause rates to rise, while severe violations like reckless driving or driving under the influence can result in much higher increases, even policy cancellation. Insurers typically review driving records for the past three to five years, often checking them at policy renewal.
How Traffic School Affects Your Driving Record
Successfully completing an approved traffic school program can have a direct and beneficial impact on your driving record. In many cases, it prevents a traffic violation from appearing on your public driving record, or it can mask or reduce points associated with a specific ticket. This “point masking” or “citation dismissal” means insurance companies may not see the violation when determining your rates.
While the violation might still be visible to the court and law enforcement, completing traffic school can prevent points from being added to your record, or in some instances, remove existing points. For example, some states allow points to be removed or reduced from your driving record after successful completion. This process is typically available for minor infractions, such as speeding or running a red light, but not for more severe violations like DUIs.
Completing the course often involves a certain number of hours of instruction and passing quizzes or a final test, with schools generally notifying the court of your completion electronically. This helps maintain a cleaner driving record, which can be advantageous beyond just avoiding immediate rate increases, as a clean record can qualify you for safe driver discounts.
Traffic School and Your Insurance Rates
The primary goal of attending traffic school after receiving a ticket is often to prevent an increase in car insurance rates. If traffic school successfully prevents points or convictions from appearing on your driving record, the specific ticket should not directly cause your insurance rates to rise. This is because insurance companies use your driving record to assess risk, and if the incident is masked, it may not factor into their premium calculations.
However, the effectiveness of traffic school in preventing an insurance increase can depend on state laws and the specific insurance provider’s policies. Some insurers might still be aware of the incident, even if points are masked, and policies can vary. It is important to distinguish between preventing an increase due to the specific ticket and other factors that could still cause rates to rise. For instance, multiple prior violations, overall policy renewal adjustments, or other unrelated claims can still lead to higher premiums.
Even if an insurance company is aware of the violation, showing initiative by attending traffic school might result in a lesser increase or no increase at all. Many insurance companies offer reduced rates or discounts for drivers who have completed a state-approved traffic school program, as it demonstrates a commitment to safe driving and a willingness to improve driving skills. While traffic school typically costs a fee, usually ranging from $50 to a few hundred dollars, this expense is often less than the potential increase in car insurance rates over time.
Key Considerations for Traffic School Eligibility
Before pursuing traffic school, understanding the common eligibility requirements is important. Generally, traffic school is available for minor moving violations, such as speeding within a certain limit, running a stop sign, or texting while driving. Serious offenses, including those involving alcohol or drugs, reckless driving, or violations that require a mandatory court appearance, typically disqualify a driver from attending.
Most jurisdictions restrict how frequently a driver can attend traffic school, often allowing eligibility once every 12 to 18 months from the violation date. Drivers usually need a valid non-commercial license; commercial license holders may not be eligible, especially for violations in a commercial vehicle. The process often involves requesting court permission and completing the course by a given deadline.