• Course Details
• State Approval
• Low Price / Money Back Guarantee
• Certificate Information
• Basic Driver Improvement (BDI)
• Traffic Collision Avoidance Course (TCAC)
• Court Ordered Attendance
• Florida Traffic School Main Page

Basic Driver Improvement (BDI)

Basic Driver Improvement (or Florida traffic school) is a 4-hour course that you can attend voluntarily if you have received a Florida speeding ticket or other moving violation.

BDI keeps points from being assessed on a driver's record, which in turn prevents insurance costs from increasing (§626.9541, F.S.).

You can elect (volunteer) to attend the BDI course unless:

• You have already elected for another traffic ticket within the past 12 months
• You have already elected 5 times in your lifetime
• You hold a commercial driver's license (CDL)

Reasons to Take the Online BDI Course

While online BDI is usually taken to keep points off a driver's record, which keeps insurance costs down for most drivers, this helpful course can be taken for any of the following reasons.

• Traffic Collision Avoidance Course (TCAC)
• 4-hour court ordered traffic school
• Racing on the highway (§322.0261[4], F.S.)
• Reckless driving (§322.0261[4], F.S.)
• Running a red light (§322.0261[4], F.S.)
• Passing a stopped school bus (§322.0261[4], F.S.)
• 10% auto insurance discount (with prior permission from insurance agency)
• Fleet training / employer directed safety training

Reasons for course attendance are explained in greater detail on the first page of course registration.

Notify the Court of Your BDI Course Attendance

In order to receive the points benefit, you must notify the clerk of the court in the county that issued your citation that you are electing to attend traffic school. Traffic school election can be done by calling the court or by sending an affidavit form to the court.

Most Florida courts require that you notify them within 30 days, and once they are notified you have 60-90 days to complete the course and turn in your completion certificate (Dade County allows 120 days). Regardless of whether you choose to sign up for traffic school or accept the points from your ticket, you will have to pay your fine within 30 days or you will be faced with paying additional court penalties.

You may elect to attend traffic school up to 5 times in your life and no more than once every 12 months. In some counties, if you have already elected to attend the 4-hour BDI course and you receive another ticket within 12 months, you might be eligible to attend an 8-hour traffic school course.

Benefits of Completing a Basic Driver Improvement Course

The major benefit of electing to attend Florida traffic school / BDI is that you will receive no points from your ticket. If you accumulate too many points on your license, it will be suspended automatically. Another benefit is that BDI attendance provides an 18% discount off the fine amount.

The insurance benefit afforded by Florida law is found in §626.9541, F.S. This law states that if a driver elects to attend Florida traffic school for a moving violation, that driver's auto insurance carrier may not cancel his or her policy, raise the rate, or non-renew the policy. This does not apply if that driver was found to be at fault in an accident.

Another benefit of attending a 4-hour Florida defensive driving course is that a driver who had "safe driver status" before his or her ticket will be able to retain that status. Insurance companies often take safe driver status into account when determining a driver's auto insurance rate.

• Course Details
• State Approval
• Low Price / Money Back Guarantee
• Certificate Information
• Basic Driver Improvement (BDI)
• Traffic Collision Avoidance Course (TCAC)
• Court Ordered Attendance
• Florida Traffic School Main Page