The state of Virginia uses a point system to monitor drivers.
For each year that passes without a traffic violation, a driver earns one (1) safe driving point towards his driver’s license. The more safe driving points a driver earns, the better their driving record.
There are also demerit points.
Getting a traffic citation in Virginia suspends your right to earn points towards your license. It also slaps you with a heavy fee and a demerit that stays on your record for years.
Luckily, there’s a way to make all of that go away — and that’s online traffic school!
The Virginia DMV has authorized online traffic schools to provide driver improvement courses that reduce points and fines.
But what are the best online traffic schools in Virginia?
We’ll give you the 5 best ones.
Best Online Traffic Schools in Virginia
Here are our top 5 picks in Virginia:
Let’s take a close look at their programs and services.
GoToTrafficSchool.com
GoToTrafficSchool has been around for decades and has served more than a million happy customers.
Its solid reputation has enabled it to be available in the most number of states compared to other online traffic schools, making them the go-to provider for most drivers. Yes, that includes Virginia.
Its Virginia online driver improvement course costs just below $30 and is cheaper than most schools.
GoToTrafficSchool also has a money-back guarantee. You can get a refund if you’re not satisfied with the course, provided you have not taken the exam yet.
One downside to GoToTrafficSchool is that their course may be a little outdated in terms of aesthetics. Some of the animations are rudimentary, and some of the videos are from a long time ago.
If you can look past that, however, they’re a great option.
Plus, they also offer their courses in Spanish and Chinese.
Another affordable option is iDriveSafely.com.
Course fees start at around $25, inclusive of a one-month free trial of roadside services.
For an additional fee, you can purchase an audio read-along feature. This add-on is helpful if you prefer listening to your lessons instead of reading.
If you are in a rush and need your certificate of completion right away, you can also opt for expedited delivery. At an additional fee of around $10, you can get your Instant Electronic Certificate within five days.
Virginia requires at least eight hours of education, and because the state requires course timers, you cannot spend less than eight hours on the course.
You can still finish it within a day, but I advise against it unless you want to be overwhelmed by so much information. Also, because iDriveSafely’s format lessons can be pretty dry and boring, you’ll find yourself dozing off.
You need to come up with your own strategy to get through everything.
Overall, it’s the best bang for your buck!
Most drivers signing up for traffic school expect it to be very boring.
Not with MyImprov.
Created over 30 years ago by road experts and professional comedians (from the Improv Comedy Club), MyImprov.com won the Best Traffic School award for many years.
MyImprov.com coined the term edutainment, which means integrating education with entertainment for a more efficient learning method.
For a reasonable price, you get to enjoy a fun learning experience. You also get four FREE tickets to Improv Comedy Club upon completing the program.
If that’s not enough to convince you, MyImprov.com offers 24/7 customer support to assist you with any concerns or issues.
They also have a handy mobile app that lets you access your lessons on your phone, anytime, anywhere!
DriveSafeToday.com is also worth mentioning on this list.
At around $25, you get a DMV-approved online driver improvement course with free audio narration features that makes studying easier and time-efficient.
Whether you’re a night owl or an early bird, you won’t have any trouble studying as DriveSafeToday grants students 24/7 access to courses.
They also give you unlimited exam retakes for FREE.
Once you complete the course and pass your final exam, your certificate will immediately be sent to you via email. They also provide the option to mail a printed, signed, and sealed version of your certificate by first-class mail or overnight mail.
DriveSafeToday has a local US-based customer support team, so you can rest assured that help is always available when you’ll need it.
More of a visual learner? Then UrbanTrafficSchool has got you covered!
They have six (6) courses to choose from, all of which address different types of Virginia traffic violations.
All courses are delivered in easy-to-digest video formats, making it the perfect choice for people who prefer watching content to reading.
Its customer support team is available 24/7, 365 days a year. You can reach out to them for any concern at any time, including holidays.
The only thing that may be a downside with this school is the lack of text content. While videos are more entertaining, some students still learn better by reading.
Overall, UrbanTrafficSchool is one of your top choices for a Virginia driver improvement course.
Virginia Online Traffic School FAQs
How many times can you go to traffic school in Virginia?
You may go to a traffic school for point reduction in Virginia every two (2) years. There is no completion limit if you are taking a driver improvement course due to a court order.
Who can take an online traffic school course in Virginia?
Virginia residents who are at least 20 years old can take an online traffic school course voluntarily.
Attendance may also be court or DMV-ordered.
The DMV requires drivers who receive 12 negative points over 12 months or 18 demerits over 24 months to take a defensive driving course.
What are the requirements for taking an online driver improvement course in VA?
For ticket removals, you must request court permission before enrolling in a driver improvement program.
Also, you must be at least 20 years of age, and you must hold a non-commercial driver’s license. (If you are under 20, you have to take driver improvement courses in a local traffic school.)
One more thing. Your citation must be for a minor moving violation, and your license must not have been suspended or revoked.
How long will it take to finish a Virginia online driver improvement course?
The state of Virginia requires eight (8) hours of traffic school education. The state requires the use of timers, so you cannot spend less than the state-mandated minimum.
Conclusion
Online traffic schools are the best way to keep your driver record clean. They can help you dismiss your tickets, get rid of your points, and reduce your insurance costs.
Most importantly, completing a traffic school course can help you maintain your driving privileges.
If all those sound good to you, I highly recommend working with the schools I’ve listed above.
These schools are the best in the industry and are sure to give you value for your money.
Good luck!