Receiving a traffic ticket in New York has financial consequences beyond the cost of the ticket itself. In addition to the fines, your insurance company can increase your rates and you can be assigned to the New York Driver Responsibility Assessment program which will cost you a minimum of $300. Fortunately, there is a way to reduce both your points and insurance costs by attending an approved Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) driving safety course but there are some things you need to know about the program before registering.

The consequences of getting a ticket in New York

In New York, a driver who receives six or more points on their driving record within an 18 month period must participate in the Driver Responsibility Assessment program. This assessment will cost a driver $100 per year over a three year period. For every point over six points, an additional $25 will be added. Failure to pay will result in suspension of your driver's license.
Point Reduction


Attending an approved PIRP course will reduce the points on your New York driving record by up to four points. For someone who rarely gets or has never gotten a ticket, reducing those points can help insure that you will not go over that six point assessment limit should you get another ticket within an 18 month period.

There are two important notes to remember when trying to reduce your points:

• The PIRP program is only good to reduce points on tickets received within the 18 month period before you attended the course. You cannot use the course as a “get out of jail free card” to reduce points that you may get in the future and you can only attend the course once in an 18 month period; points for tickets received within 18 months after attending the course will remain on your record.



• If you have already been assigned to the Driver Responsibility Assessment program, you cannot use the PIRP program to reduce the points and get out of paying your annual assessments.

Insurance Cost Reduction


Insurance costs can be reduced by 10% of the base price of your current insurance policy for three years by attending the PIRP course. As with the points however, there are a couple of things you should understand about insurance reduction.

• The Insurance cost reduction only applies if the principal operator of the insured vehicle attends the course. For example; a teenager, whose mother is listed as the principal operator on the policy, borrows her car and gets a ticket; he cannot get an insurance reduction by attending the course.
  


• Your Insurance company can still raise your rates due to a collision that was your fault or when the policy is renewed; the 10% reduction only applies to your current rates.
  

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How does the New York Point and Insurance Reduction Program Work

Labels: new york defensive driving, point and insurance reduction program, point reduction, point reduction course

Traffic tickets tend to fall into two categories- a moving violation includes a violation such as exceeding the speed limit, and non-moving violations include things like parking tickets. Violation of traffic laws can result in a fine or penalty points on your license.

In New York in particular, the Department of Motor Vehicles has a database of motorists that keeps a record of any violations so there really is nowhere to hide. If you do happen to lose your ticket then you should contact the New York DMV immediately. After a motorist has been issued a ticket they will be given the option to put in a plea of guilty or not guilty to a local court.

The most important thing to remember when handling a traffic ticket is to deal with the issue as soon as you can. The longer you leave it, the worse it can get.

If you do find yourself in the situation where points are going to be added to your driver’s license then you may want to take the New York defensive driving course. This course is approved by the New York DMV and can actually reduce the points on your license. However, the course is not just designed for point reduction; it can also provide a mandatory 10% auto insurance rate reduction on your liability, no-fault and collision insurance premiums. At the same time as all this, you will also be developing defensive driving concepts and roadway survival skills. And the course only takes six hours. In these six hours there is no need for any classroom time as the course is based entirely on the internet. This means you can fit the course into your busy lifestyle and you can learn at a place that best suits you.

However, the course will have no bearing over a license suspension or revocation. Finally, it is important to remember that the course may only be used once in an 18 month period so it should not be seen as a quick fix to multiple traffic offences.

Labels: defensive driving, defensive driving techniques, insurance reduction, ipirp course, new york defensive driving, point reduction, speeding ticket, uniform traffic ticket

Every licensed driver in New York State qualifies to complete a defensive driving course that will lower the number of points on her or his driving record and qualify her or him for a discounted auto insurance policy. The cost savings from the lower insurance premium rate cover the fee for the course almost immediately. In New York, the defensive driving class can be completed online or in a classroom setting. Drivers who prefer to progress at their own paces can take the course on the internet in their homes. Even inexperienced internet users will find the NY defensive driving course easy to complete, because the course is user-friendly. Use the following tips to complete the course online, decrease the number of points on your driving record, and reduce the cost of your auto insurance premiums.

First, select a NY defensive driving course provider. The course takes six hours to complete no matter which program provider you select, because the NY DMV imposes a mandatory timeframe for it. If you won't be able to complete the course all at once, select a provider that divides the I-PIRP course into short, manageable sections to allow you to manage your time efficiently.

The benefits of taking the course are also state-mandated and are the same regardless of the program provider you select: Up to a four-point reduction in the total number of active points on your driving record, depending on when the points were assessed, and a 10% reduction from the base rate of your current liability, no-fault and collision premiums for three years. Even if you don't have any points on your driving record, taking the course will still benefit you, because you will save money on your auto insurance premiums.

You may see the New York defensive driving course referred to as "PIRP" or "I-PIRP". This is the course you need for removal of points from your driving record and an auto insurance discount. PIRP stands for Point and Insurance Reduction Program. I-PIRP stands for Internet Point and Insurance Reduction Program - the same course delivered via the internet. Make sure the course you select has been approved by the Department of Motor Vehicles in New York.

The next step is to complete the registration process for I-PIRP with the program provider you chose. You can register for the I-PIRP course online. Note that each person with a New York driver's license listed as a principal operator on the family's auto insurance policy must register for and complete the defensive driving course to be eligible for the insurance discount. For instance, if spouses own two cars, both spouses need to complete the class to reduce the premium on each insurance policy.

Registering for the class means that you'll enter personal information to confirm your identity and make sure that the person who registers for the course is the person who completes it. Identity and participation information can also include biometric data like keystrokes, facial recognition or voice recognition. In New York, any person who attempts to defraud the defensive driving course system or who accepts a course completion certificate and its associated benefits without having personally completed the entire course has committed a crime and may be subject to prosecution, fines and imprisonment.

The course provider will collect credit card information for the course fee. You may worry about personal information on the internet; protect your personal information by selecting an I-PIRP provider with a secure website. If you experience any difficulties or have any questions during the process, the I-PIRP provider's customer service agents can assist you.

The six-hour time requirement for the NY defensive driving course begins after you complete registration. You may complete the course in one sitting or log in and out as many times as you like. As you complete the course modules, your progress is saved by the system. The class must be completed within 30 days of the date of registration.

Course participants do not have to pass an exam to earn a certificate of completion for I-PIRP. You will receive a certificate for passing the course based on the delivery option you select. Give your certificate to your insurance agent within 90 days of course completion to receive the discount on your premium (if you want longer than 90 days, you may still be eligible for a discount, but the agent may start the discount from the date of receipt of the certificate instead of retroactively from the date you completed the course). If you have a teen driver who is the principal operator of a vehicle in your household, it is especially important that the teen driver completes the I-PIRP course. The teen will qualify for a discounted auto insurance premium and will also learn safe driving habits that are especially helpful for inexperienced drivers. Your insurance agent can help you determine precisely how much money you can save by completing an I-PIRP course.

Keep the insurance discount active by retaking the I-PIRP class every 36 months. The insurance discount can only be applied to one driver for each covered vehicle. Taking the I-PIRP course may decrease the number of points on your driving record, but the points assessed by your insurance company will not be changed. Taking the NY defensive driving course does not avoid regular insurance premium increases or increases due to tickets or collisions.

Labels: defensive driving, insurance reduction, new york defensive driving, pirp course, point reduction, speeding ticket, uniform traffic ticket