You may not be choosing to go to traffic school, but you can choose the course that is right for you.
There are actually some great options for online courses that help you get that traffic ticket dismissed or points off of your driving record.
Traffic101.com and GoToTrafficSchool.com are two options we will compare, so that you have all the facts you need to decide if one of them makes sense for you.
Traffic101.com
Traffic101.com is an A+ Better Business Bureau rated online traffic school that has been around since 2001. They were one of the first of its kind to be accredited and are state certified. It is NOT currently approved in all states, so be sure to check their easy to use map to see if the state you received the citation in will accept their certificate.
Their mission is focused on making their defensive driving courses as painless and understandable as possible. They offer 24/7 technical support and same-day certificate processing. They also have a 100% money back guarantee.
Registering
To register for the course, simply choose your state, your required course, the county you received the ticket in, and the corresponding court. This will bring you to the course price and details.
Here, you can check to see if the court you selected has approved the Traffic101.com program.
It also gives you information on how the course works and certificate information. You can then submit your payment and personal information.
Course Information
You have the ability to take the courses at your own pace when it is most convenient for you. They claim that if you read the material you should be able to pass the quiz at the end of the course.
But, if for whatever reason you do not pass, you can retake the course without any additional charges.
The amount of time it takes to complete a course varies depending on the course. It is recommended that you complete your course at least 10 days prior to your completion due date.
You can review your completed sections at any time and use any notes to help you on the final quiz. The quiz typically takes about 20 minutes, and you must have finished every section before you can start the quiz.
Certificates are processed and mailed on the same day you complete the course. It takes between 1-3 days for the certificate to arrive, but they do offer express delivery if you need it even sooner.
They keep all certificates on file indefinitely, so you can contact them if you ever need another copy.
Check out their reviews and see what others have to say about Traffic101.com.
TrafficSchool101 – Pros and Cons
To sum up, here are the pros and cons of taking the course from TrafficSchool101:
The Pros:
- The school has over a decade of experience and has maintained positive online reviews.
- You can sign up for this course for free and pay only after you complete about 10% of the course. This way, you can check first if you want their style.
- It is all text-based so you can complete the entire course quickly – ideal if you are facing the danger of not being able to meet your deadline (though they have course timers that only allow you to go through each page within a specific period, it will still be faster to complete).
- The quizzes are simple and you only have to answer two questions right.
- They can process your certification right away which will be advantageous in the unlikely case that you forgot that your due date is within 24 hours.
- They have this “Free For Every 100th Customer” promo. Who knows, you can be the next lucky recipient of this freebie!
- They have great customer support that’s open from 8 AM to 5 PM PST. The representatives are all knowledgeable and accommodating.
The Cons:
- Since the entire course is pure text and very straightforward, it is likely going to be boring. Visual learners may not appreciate their style.
- There is a lot of text to read, making it difficult for a student to retain information.
- Although the course works on mobile devices, it’s not the most mobile-friendly course you’ll find.
- Previous students reported encountering a few website glitches while taking the course. This can be annoying, especially if the page takes time to load.
GoToTrafficSchool.com
This online driving school has been around since 1999. They claim to have the lowest prices in the industry, and will even match or beat lower priced courses if you do find any.
They offer more than just traffic school too. They have courses for experienced drivers, fleet driver training courses, and driver’s education courses.
Their courses are approved in 20 states, as well as in individual courts in other states, so check to make sure your court is included.
Their focus is on providing user-friendly, fun, and engaging courses that are expertly designed with graphics and videos to provide a more interactive experience.
Traffic101.com appears to be less flashy and more straightforward, so consider your learning style and if more pictures and media will be helpful or unnecessary.
Registering
Enrollment in the course is easy and similar to other sites. Select your state, county, court, and then your language.
What’s different about GoToTrafficSchool.com is that some courses are offered in other languages, such as Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean.
This varies by location, but is definitely worth checking into if English is not your native or preferred language.
Course Information
GoToTrafficSchool.com also offers self-paced courses. They estimate the length of time spent on a course to be between 4 and 8 hours. This will vary by state, how quickly you read, and the time you spend mulling over quiz questions.
There are chapter quizzes at the end of each section. These are designed to help you on the final exam, so they don’t count against your overall course score.
They do mention that not all states allow you take the final quiz as many times as you need, but you’ll find out if your state does when you select it during registration.
You can choose your certificate shipping option when you complete your course, and they do offer expedited services.
For courses completed for the state of California, certificate completion information will be transmitted electronically at no charge.
They will also provide you with an email receipt containing completion information for your records.
GoToTrafficSchool.com will give you a full course refund at any point before the processing and shipment of your certificate of completion if you are not satisfied.
You can check out their reviews and see what others like or dislike about the courses.
GoToTrafficSchool – The Pros and Cons
Meanwhile, here are the pros and cons of GoToTrafficSchool to help you determine if the pros of this school outweigh the cons.
The Pros:
- They have the lowest price guarantee, so it’s technically the cheapest course you’ll find. If you find a cheaper course in your state, they promise to remove $1 from the price.
- GoToTrafficSchool’s website is very intuitive, making the learning process so much easier than the other courses.
- It has an app that works well on all mobile devices, making the course available anywhere and at any time.
- They have Integrated videos and other learning resources so you don’t have to read through a lot of text on a screen.
- They handle all the paperwork by notifying your court for you once you complete the course, so you don’t have to face the trouble associated with processing your completion certificate.
The Cons:
- Although the course price itself is cheap, you may end up paying more because of the extra ‘add-ons’ that you could purchase separately.
- You may encounter random authentication throughout the course. Although this is required by the state, it can still be annoying!
- Their videos and animations are a bit outdated (although there’s news that they have recently updated their course materials).
- Their course implements timers that may restrict how quickly you complete the course
In Summary
Both online traffic schools appear to be well regarded by students. They offer refunds if you don’t feel like you are getting the information or support you need, and you can go at your own pace.
The things you really need to consider are: if the traffic school course is approved for the location you need it; if you need instruction in another language besides English; and if you want a more animated, interactive learning experience.
No matter which online traffic school you choose, take your time and move through the content at the pace you need to successfully digest the information. Make the best of it and maybe you’ll learn something helpful and interesting!