The Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP), also known as the Defensive Driving Course or Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention Course, is a comprehensive driver safety course that provides knowledge and techniques for safe and lawful driving. Private companies and organizations all over the state offer the course. To be approved by DMV, courses must meet strict standards for the type of information presented and program effectiveness.
Completing a PIRP course does not remove a violation, conviction, or the number of points from your driving record. Even after you complete the course, most violations, convictions, and points will continue to show on your driving record for up to 4 years. Violations and convictions involving drugs or alcohol will remain on your driving record for ten or fifteen years, depending on the violation. If you get 11 points for traffic violations in an 18-month period, your driver license may be suspended.
“Point reduction” means the number of points on your driving record used to calculate the number of total points received within 18 months will be reduced by 4 points and may help you avoid a suspension.
Benefits of Taking a Course
Completing an approved course will
- refresh your driving knowledge
- help to prevent you from losing your license in the event you accrued 11 or more points on your driving record
- 4 points are ‘subtracted’ for the purposes of calculating a suspension if you have 11 or more points
- the tickets/points do not physically come off your driving record
- reduce the base rate of your auto and motorcycle insurance premiums by 10% each year for three years
Completing a course does not
- prevent a mandatory suspension or revocation
- eliminate your responsibility to pay a driver responsibility assessment
- give you a way to reduce future driver violation points
- prevent general premium increases or premium increases due to violations or accidents
You must take the course once every 36 months to maintain insurance reduction benefits.
If more than one person named on an insurance policy completes the course, only the principal operator can receive the 10% reduction.
Course Length
The classroom course is 320 minutes long. it cover these and other topics: driver attitude and behavior, defensive driving techniques, and the Vehicle & Traffic Law. No formal testing is required to complete the course.
Young Drivers
Youthful drivers and drivers participating in the assigned risk pool will receive the insurance premium discount. Any insured driver who is the principal operator and completes a PIRP course will receive the 10% reduction.
Contact your insurance company or agent to learn if a youthful driver who is already receiving a driver education reduction is also eligible to receive a PIRP reduction.
