Traffic school! Those words may conjure up thoughts of attending an in-person, all-day class where you’re crammed into a classroom and preached to by a monotonous, boring instructor who doesn’t seem to have much personality. While in-person traffic school classes do take place, they only last five hours, and there is an online alternative. Read on to find out more about traffic schools in Nevada, why people take those classes and options for registering.
First, let’s make an important clarification. In Nevada, there are different kinds of schools, all that have to do with driving. First, there are schools for training drivers:
- Minor Drivers Education (for beginner drivers)
- Class (general classroom instruction)
- Behind the Wheel (actually operating a vehicle with an instructor)
- Commercial Driving (for operating large trucks, busses or heavy machinery)
- Motorcycle Safety
There are two other categories of schools: Traffic safety schools and DUI schools. The rest of this article focuses on traffic safety schools (non-DUI) in Nevada.
Why would someone attend a traffic safety school? According to the State of Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles website, Nevada motorists usually participate in a traffic safety school because (as a part of a plea bargain agreement) a judge has mandated attendance OR a person voluntarily wants to reduce the number of points on their driving record. There’s another reason, as well: Some insurance companies provide an insurance policy discount to those who have successfully participated in a traffic safety school.
When you have received a traffic citation, the Ticket Busters lawyers always suggest getting their help with next steps. Instead of simply paying the fine to “be done with it,” an experienced lawyer can represent you in court to protect your legal rights. In some cases, the charges may be thrown out based on the facts of your particular case and/or matters of law. If that is not the case, your lawyer may be able to negotiate a plea bargain, which can reduce the charges, fines and/or points on your driving record. Sometimes, the agreement includes that the individual must attend traffic safety school to close out the case. If the individual is a repeat offender, for example, it will be more likely that the court will mandate traffic safety school.
You may have choices regarding the type of traffic safety school you “attend.” That’s because there are online schools and in-person classes where an individual can participate to fulfill the requirements. There are several dozen options available in Nevada:
- Visit gototrafficschool.com to register for online traffic school through the Ticket Busters affiliate.
- Perform an online search for Nevada Traffic Schools to see various options.
- Visit the official Nevada DMV website: https://dmvnv.com/dlschoolstss.htm. There, you will find a list of available schools. Please note that while the DMV licenses and monitors schools, it does not endorse, rate or recommend schools.
Regardless of which traffic school you choose, it is imperative that you make sure your provider (and the specific class you register to take) will fulfill your requirements. It must be a DMV/court-recognized provider or one that your insurance company will honor (depending on why you’re taking the course).
When you have successfully completed the course, verify that the school will notify all necessary entities (DMV, the court and/or your insurance company) and provide you with evidence of your successful completion.
The team at Ticket Busters works with individuals every day (thousands per year) to resolve your ticket with minimal ramifications to your wallet, reputation, time and driving record. Contact Ticket Busters at 702.666.6666 or visit ticketbusters.com to learn more and get started. Keep in mind, before you “just pay” your traffic ticket, your vehicle insurance company will be notified of your offense, and your insurance rate may go up, sometimes for a number of years. You have an opportunity to fight the charges and reduce or eliminate those extra expenses. The Ticket Busters lawyers know how to navigate the legal system to create a best outcome for your situation.
Special notes:
- Even if you successfully complete a traffic safety course, if you participated as a part of a plea bargain, you will not ALSO get point reductions on your driving record.
- Motorists may only take one voluntary traffic safety course (for point reductions) in a 12-month period.
- If you wait until you already have 12 points or more on your driving record, your license will have already been suspended by the DMV, and traffic school will not reduce the total of your points (it’s too late!).
