1. GENERAL QUESTIONS
    What is an online defensive driving course?
    An online defensive driving course is a way to take a defensive driving course from anywhere that you have Internet access. That means you don't have to go to a defensive driving course facility. And you can take the course at the times that are convenient for you. You can take it all at once, or you can log in to the course multiple times. Our program will remember where you left off, and you will start there when you log back in.
    Do I need to go somewhere or is the course all online?
    The entire course is accessed via the Internet. You can complete the course on any computer that has Internet access at home, at work, at a friend's house, at the library. It's your choice when and where you want to take and complete the course.
    What is the difference between taking a defensive driving course online and taking a defensive driving course in a classroom?
    When you take the course in a traditional classroom, you are lectured to by one or more instructors. Essentially, the only difference between the two options is that an online class allows you take the course on the Internet at times convenient to you, whereas when you take the course in a classroom, you are required to travel to the class and receive instruction at a set time and at a set physical location.
  2. ABOUT OUR COURSE
    How much does the course cost?
    Our course costs $25.00. This price includes access to all educational materials in the course, all the quizzes, and the final exam. It also includes the price of shipping your Certificate of Completion via U.S. Mail after you pass the final exam. If you are in a rush and you want your certificate delivered overnight via DHL, there will be an extra fee of $30.00 for the expedited shipping. We also offer DHL Second-Day Delivery for $15.00 and FedEx Third-Day Delivery for $10.00.
    Is your course approved in the State of Texas?
    Yes. Our course is approved in the State of Texas by the Texas Education Agency for the dismissal of traffic tickets. It is also approved for the reduction of insurance rates.
    How much time does it take to complete your course?
    Our course takes six hours to complete, as required by the Texas Education Agency.
    Do I have to take your entire course all at once?
    No. You are free to take our course at your own pace. The Texas Education Agency requires students to spend a minimum of six hours taking the course. With the online course, you can log out and log back in at your own leisure, 24 hours a day. Our program will remember where you left off and you can start again in that exact spot. All you need to do is Login again by entering your driver's license number and password, and you will pick up where you left off.
    Do I have to take your entire course on the same computer?
    No. Our entire course is online, so you can take our course on any computer that has an Internet connection.
    Is your course offered in any languages other than English?
    As of right now, we offer this course only in English.
    Are there quizzes in your course?
    You will be asked quiz questions periodically throughout the course. The quizzes are designed to test your understanding of the key points of each chapter and prepare you for the final exam.
    Does your course have a final exam?
    Yes. After completing all of the chapters, a final exam will be administered. It will include 20 multiple-choice questions based on the course material. In order to pass, you must get at least 70% of the questions correct — that's 14 questions correct out of 20. Right after you complete the final exam, we will let you know whether you have passed or not. If you don't pass the final exam the first time, don't worry. You can review the course material and take the final exam again. You get three chances to pass the final exam.
    How do I start the course?
    To start the course, all you need to do is go to our home page and click the "Registration" button. You will be guided through the registration process. If you are taking our course to have your traffic ticket dismissed, you will need to know what county and court issued the ticket. This information is located on the return address of the copy of the ticket you received in the mail. You will also need to provide personal information, including your mailing address, driver's license number, and license plate number.
    How soon can I start the course?
    You can start the course as soon as you register. You can register for our course online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no need to call us. To register, simply click on the "Registration" button on our home page. If you have any questions, contact us at (800) 732-4135.
    How do I know if I passed the final exam?
    After you complete the final exam, you will know immediately if you passed or not. If you do not pass, you will get two additional chances to pass the final exam at no extra charge. When you do pass, a screen will appear that congratulates you on passing and asks you to confirm the address to which we will mail your Certificate of Completion.
    What happens if I fail the final exam?
    If you fail the final exam, you will get two more chances to take it at no additional cost. You will have the chance to review all of the course material and an optional course summation before retaking the final exam.
    Will I still be able to take the course even if I don't have a printer?
    You do not need a printer to take our course. You may want to print certain pages for your records, but this is not a requirement. Certain information will also be sent to you via e-mail, if you provide us with an e-mail address when you register.
    Will my course expire?
    From the time you register, you will have 180 days to complete your course. After 180 days, your registration will no longer be considered active.
  3. IS THIS COURSE FOR ME?
    My due date for attending a defensive driving course has passed. What should I do?
    You may be allowed to get an extension. You should first contact the traffic court clerk either in person or by phone and ask what your particular court's procedures are with regard to granting extensions. Some courts will grant you extensions over the telephone and other courts will require that you go to the court in person and ask for an extension.

    If you are not successful in getting an extension, you can ask the clerk if you can make a court appearance in order to see the judge. Some courts will allow you to see the judge for such matters on scheduled days and some will make an appointment for you. On the day of your court appearance, you should go to the court and ask the judge for the extension. If you have a valid reason for letting your due date slip by, the judge may grant you an extension. Keep in mind that judges are extremely busy and will not appreciate your appearance if you do not have a valid reason as to why you need an extension.
    Can I take your course to have my traffic ticket dismissed?
    Absolutely. Our course has been approved by the Texas Education Agency. If you have approval from the court to take a defensive driving course, then you can take our course. You do not need special approval from the court because the course is taken on the Internet.
    Can I take your course to get my insurance rates reduced?
    Yes. Because our course has been approved by the Texas Education Agency, taking our course can reduce your insurance rates by up to 10%. Contact your insurance agent to find out more about the discount.
    Can I take this course if I received a ticket in Texas but I do not live in Texas?
    If the court that issued the ticket allows you to take a defensive driving course, then you can take this course even if you don't live in Texas and don't have a Texas driver's license. However, we will not be able to verify your identity by drawing information from third-party databases. You will be required to submit a notarized Statement of Assurance. When you register, you will be notified that you must submit one, and you will be able to print the form from our web site at any point in the course. You must fill it out, sign it, have it notarized, and fax or mail it to us.
    What if my court paperwork requires an instructor signature? How do I get one?
    Some courts require you to submit a signature from your defensive driving course instructor in addition to your Certificate of Completion. If so, we can provide you with an instructor signature. Just fax us the paperwork that requires a signature and we will return it to you, signed, along with your Certificate of Completion. Our fax number is (800) 732-4135.
  4. REGISTRATION
    How do I register for your course?
    The registration process is simple. Just click on the "Registration" button on our home page and you will be guided through the process.

    If you are taking our course to have your traffic ticket dismissed, you will need to know what county and court issued the ticket. This information is located on the return address of the copy of the ticket you received in the mail. You will then be asked to provide the following personal information: your name, mailing address, e-mail address (not required but recommended), phone number, city of birth, birth date, driver's license number, and license plate number. You will also be asked for your defensive driving school due date. In addition, you will select a delivery option for your Certificate of Completion and a payment method when you register for our course.

    If you are taking our course to get your insurance rates reduced, you will be asked to provide the same personal information as described above. Of course, for insurance-rate reduction purposes, you will not be asked for a county or court name or defensive driving school due date. However, you will select a delivery option for your Certificate of Completion and a payment method when you register for our course.
    What if I don't have an e-mail address?
    An e-mail address is not required, though it is recommended. When you enter a valid e-mail address during registration, you will receive important correspondence from our staff. Your e-mail address will not be released to anyone outside of our support staff. Unless there is an additional need for correspondence, you will only receive a couple of e-mails from us — when you register and when you complete the course.
    What if I made a mistake during registration and need to change my personal information?
    If you made a mistake during the registration process, you will need to contact our Help Desk at (800) 732-4135 so we can correct the mistake for you.
    Will my course expire?
    From the time you register, you have 180 days to complete your course. After 180 days, your registration will no longer be considered active.
  5. PAYMENT
    How much does the course cost?
    Our course costs $25.00. This price includes access to all educational materials in the course, all the quizzes, and the final exam. It also includes the price of shipping your Certificate of Completion via U.S. Mail after you pass the course. If you are in a rush and you want your certificate delivered overnight via DHL, there will be an extra fee of $30.00 for the expedited shipping. We also offer DHL Second-Day Delivery for an additional charge of $15.00 and FedEx Third-Day Delivery for $10.00.
    Is it safe to use my credit card online?
    Yes. We use the latest and most reliable encryption software to ensure that all of your personal information, including all payment information, is kept secure. For credit card transactions and personal information pages, we have a VeriSign-certified secure server.
    How soon can I start the course?
    If you are paying online with a credit card or check, you may begin the course as soon as you have paid.
  6. CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICIES
    What is your cancellation/refund policy?
    You will receive a full refund if, prior to attempting the final exam, you cancel the enrollment contract within 3 business days of registering. This does not include Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays. Refunds are issued within 30 days of the effective date of termination. If you have not successfully completed the course within 180 days, your registration will be cancelled automatically and you will not be eligible for a refund.
  7. PRIVACY AND SECURITY
    Do you use third-party data and why?
    For student validation purposes, we access public databases from the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Department of Public Safety in order to extract driver's license and vehicle registration information. We use this information solely to ask you questions throughout the course so that we can validate that you indeed are the student who is taking the course. We do not use this data for any other purposes. When you register, you will need to read through our Terms of Use enrollment contract. In the enrollment contract, you authorize us to access this information under the condition that it be used exclusively for the purpose of student validation.
    What is your privacy policy?
    The information our company collects about you is subject to our privacy policy. By disclosing information to American Safety Council, you are agreeing to the terms of this privacy policy. We recognize the importance of protecting the privacy of our students and visitors to our web site while permitting us to conduct legitimate business by providing services and information of interest to our students and visitors.

    To view our privacy policy, click here.
    What is your security policy?
    American Safety Council undertakes extensive precautions to ensure the security of your information both online and offline.

    Online: Private information that you enter in the registration form (i.e., personal and financial information) is encrypted and protected by SSL, the finest encryption software available. While on a secure page, the lock icon on the bottom of your web browser will appear in the locked position.

    Offline: We also protect your private information offline. We limit access to the information you submitted to employees, and only when that information is needed in order to perform necessary tasks. All of our employees receive training on our privacy and security policies. In addition, the servers on which we store our students' information are maintained in a secure environment.
  8. I’M TAKING THE COURSE AND I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS
    How do I get from section to section?
    When you log in to the course, you are brought to the Member Home Page. From there, you will click on Continue Course, and you will be brought to the course material. If it is your first time accessing the course material, you will be brought to Chapter 1, Page 1. If you are logging in after having already completed some of the course material, you will be brought to the last page you completed.

    Every time you complete a page of course material, you click Next at the bottom right-hand corner of the page. This will bring you to the next page. You may proceed in this fashion through the entire course.

    In addition, you can always go back and review the material you have already completed by clicking on the appropriate chapter link on the Member Home Page. This will open up a detailed syllabus from which you may pick what you would like to review.
    How do I log in if I'm already registered?
    If you have already registered, all you need to do is Login by entering your driver's license number and password. You will be able to pick up just where you left off. If you have not yet registered, you will need to click on the "Registration" button on our home page to begin the registration process.
    How do I log out if I want to return later?
    You can log out at any time by clicking on the "Log Out" button at the top left of the screen. Your progress is saved every time you log out. However, if you log out before completing the time requirement for a page, you will lose the time you have spent on it.
    How do I know if I passed the final exam?
    After you complete the final exam, you will know immediately if you passed or not. If you do not pass, you will get two additional chances to pass the final exam at no extra charge. When you do pass, a screen will appear that congratulates you on passing the final exam.
    I have forgotten my user name and password. What do I do?
    Your user name is your driver's license number exactly as you entered it during registration, and your password was given to you at the end of registration. If your driver's license number and/or password don't work, contact us because you may have mistyped during registration. If you cannot remember your password, e-mail us with your first and last name, and e-mail address as provided during registration, and we will send your password to that e-mail address. If you did not submit an e-mail address at the time of registration, call us at (800) 732-4135 and we will provide you with your password.
  9. TECHNICAL QUESTIONS
    What are the system requirements for taking your course?
    Minimum browser requirements are the use of Microsoft Internet Explorer (MSIE) 6.0 or greater, Netscape version 4.8 or greater, or any other browsers that provide equal or greater functionality. In addition, the browser needs to be equipped with Macromedia Flash Player 6.0 or greater. This plug-in is entirely free and is available on the American Safety Council Course web site for download and installation. The browser also needs to support Java and JavaScript. Our program will check to ensure that your computer meets all of these requirements, and we provide easy-to-follow instructions if you need to download any software.

    The minimum hardware required is such that it should be able to support the software configuration described above. The course requires the use of a pointing device such as a mouse. The course also requires that the hardware be equipped with speakers or headphones. Our program will automatically perform a software evaluation after registration but prior to the start of the course.
    What happens if my computer malfunctions while I am taking your course?
    You can call our Help Desk at (800) 732-4135 and we will assist you.
    What should I do if there is an error message?
    First, try closing your web browser, then logging back in to the course. Your progress will be saved. If the problem persists, please contact our Help Desk at (800) 732-4135 so we can help you fix the problem.
    What happens if my Internet connection fails while I'm taking the course?
    When you are able to log in successfully, you will be taken to the place in the text where you left off before losing your Internet connection. Unfortunately, you may lose the time you spent on the page you were working on when your Internet connection failed.
  10. CONTACT INFORMATION/HELP DESK SUPPORT
    What is your phone number?
    Our toll-free number is (800) 732-4135.
    Do you offer 24-hour customer assistance?
    Yes. We have licensed instructors and technical support available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For assistance, call us toll-free at (800) 732-4135.
  11. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
    What mailing options are available for my Certificate of Completion?
    You have three delivery options for the mailing of your Certificate of Completion. It can be sent via U.S. Mail at no additional cost. We will send out your certificate the same day we receive notification that you have passed your final exam, if it is by 6:00 pm Central Standard Time (CST). If we receive notification after 6:00 pm CST, your certificate will go out the next business day. You should expect to receive it in the mail within five to seven business days.

    If you are in a hurry to get your Certificate of Completion, we can send it via DHL Overnight Delivery for an additional fee of $30.00. The cut-off time for next-day delivery is 5:30 pm CST. As long as you complete the course by the cut-off time, you will receive your certificate by 5:00 pm the following business day. You can also choose DHL Second-Day Delivery or FedEx Third-Day Delivery for an additional fee of $15.00 or $10.00, respectively. The same cut-off times of 5:30 pm CST apply. If you choose DHL Second-Day Delivery, you will receive your certificate by 5:00 pm on the second business day from the date it was sent. If you choose FedEx Third-Day Delivery, you will receive your certificate by 5:00 pm on the third business day from the date it was sent.

    You select your mailing option when you register for our course. If you decide to change your mailing option, click on the "Change Your Delivery Option" button on the Member Services page, or call our office at (800) 732-4135.
    Do you send my Certificate of Completion to the court for me?
    No. When you complete the course and pass the final exam with a score of 70% or better, we mail your Certificate of Completion to you. It is your responsibility to present the certificate to the court.
    Can you fax or e-mail the Certificate of Completion to the court?
    No. Your certificate may not be faxed or e-mailed. We will mail your Certificate of Completion to you, and it will be your responsibility to file it with the proper court.
    I lost my Certificate of Completion. Can you send me another copy?
    Unfortunately, we cannot issue you another copy of your Certificate of Completion. If you don't receive your certificate within three weeks (21 calendar days) from the date you completed the class, please call us at (800) 732-4135. Your certificate may have been damaged in the mail or misaddressed and then returned to us, and we may be able to re-mail it to you.
  12. CERTIFICATE DELIVERY OPTIONS
    Can I change my delivery option?
    Yes. If you selected regular U.S. Mail delivery at the time of registration, but you now need your certificate delivered overnight, for example, you can just click on the "Change Your Delivery Option" button on the Member Services page and you will be able to choose an expedited delivery option.