• Introduction
• Illinois / Texas Studies
• New York Studies

New York Defensive Driving Course Studies

More recent scientific research studies were performed on DTA's Program for Driver Improvement traffic school course by the State of New York in 1987 and by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles in 1997, 2002, and 2007.

The first of the New York studies, entitled "Accident Prevention Courses and Their Effect on Automobile Insurance Rates," was prepared by the State of New York Insurance Department and presented by the Commissioner to the New York State Legislature. This study analyzes data on defensive driving programs from both of New York's insurance statistical agents and concluded in its preliminary analysis that

...the limited available statistics are consistent with the 10% premium discount...offered to those who take approved defensive driving courses. Viewed in its entirety, the data collected...indicate that the courses have the potential to reduce losses. (Accident Prevention page 7)

In other words, the researchers concluded that traffic school courses did indeed promote safer driving, therefore the state's insurance discount for attending traffic school programs was justified.

New York PIRP Study

In a more in-depth study prepared by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles in December of 1987 entitled "Evaluation of the Point / Insurance Reduction Program," the Department found that "the 84,806 drivers who participated in the Point / Insurance Reduction Program had 15% lower accident rates and 56% lower conviction rates during the eighteen months after attending a motor vehicle accident prevention course than during the eighteen months prior to attendance" (Evaluation page 11).

This study, which reviewed five different courses including the DTA Program for Driver Improvement, found that "the accident rates for all such programs open to the public combined show significantly lower post-course rates for all groups of both males and females" (page 11).

The study concluded that both accident and conviction rates were lower, by significant amounts in many cases, for courses that were available to the public. For public courses, the overall accident rate was nearly 20% lower, while the conviction rate improved by 57% (page 19).

Summary of Defensive Driving Research Studies

DTA is one of very few traffic school providers whose courses have been studied extensively for effectiveness. As one can see by reviewing the findings of studies from Texas, Illinois, and New York, DTA's defensive driving courses really do reduce crashes and violations among course participants.

We invite you to sign up for one of our courses today to find out how we can help you improve your ability to avoid accidents and keep your auto insurance rate as low as possible.

• Introduction
• Illinois / Texas Studies
• New York Studies