IMPORTANT
INFORMATION AND DISCLOSURE for Defensive Driving Students taking Internet
Classes
Completing
a defensive driving class online is now possible for some
Arizona
students. While the online option is available from
several certified schools, prospective attendees should be aware that not
all
Arizona
courts will accept
attendance via the internet. Follow the
instructions on the information (bond) card you received with your citation, and
if you have questions, contact a school listed on the card. They should be able
to answer your questions.
Prospective
internet students should be aware of the following information before they begin
an online course. Internet attendance
must meet all standards applicable to any
Arizona
defensive driving class.
This means several things to you as a student.
All internet classes certified by
Arizona
are time-controlled,
and are a minimum of 5.5 hours in length. A person cannot complete the course
sooner. Most internet classes will take the average individual a longer
period of time to complete.
Personal identity and class-participation verification is required. Currently,
the standard for the program requires on-site
testing after completing the online class. The testing is intended
more for establishing identity than content knowledge.
Controls are built into each school's
program to ensure the person taking the course is the person that received the
citation, and test questions are designed to ensure that same person is the one
taking the test. High scores are required
for passing the course. Course environment questions are included in
the test that only a person who has viewed the online program would know. These
questions are often unrelated to the content material of the program itself. Each
participant must answer 90% or better of the course environment questions
correctly in order to receive credit. 80% of the course content questions
must be answered correctly. The course may also contain personal identity
questions. These must be answered 100% correctly, there
are no exceptions. One retest on the
content section is permitted after failure; there is no retest for the
environment or identity questions.
Neither the
Arizona
courts nor the defensive driving school are
responsible for your connection to the internet, or the functionality of their
program on your machine. The class must be taken and completed within the time
allowed by the court. Schools may work with you to troubleshoot problems
to the extent of their abilities, but no
exceptions will be made to this rule for equipment or connection failures,
regardless of fault. There is no recourse, other than as stated in this
disclosure. Should
you fail to complete or pass the online program, you will be permitted to attend
and complete a classroom course, before your court date. State
law and program rules require completion of the program within the time allowed
by the court. This may result in an
additional school fee.
If you decide to participate in the internet option, you must be aware of these
requirements, and be willing to assume the risks involved. Courts
may allow one “extension” or continuance under court rules, at the judge's
discretion. Completing a classroom course after failure to complete an online
course may result in an extra class fee; this is at the discretion of the
completing school.