It's no secret that driving safely saves you money. When your record is collision-free, you pay less for car insurance. So how do you really get to be a safer driver? Take a course. Often defensive driving courses cost money, but you get a nifty certificate that will save you even more money than you spent by discounting your auto insurance.

What is Defensive Driving?

Defensive driving is a method of driving that makes sure you are operating your vehicle so that you do not risk lives, time, or money, no matter what the driving environment is.

It consists of a number of methods and rules that reduce the risk of being on the road. You are taught to anticipate certain dangerous situations and environments and adjust your driving to make them safe.

Techniques include:

• recognizing environmental hazards

• scanning

• dealing with automobile emergencies

• sharing the road

• passing cars safely

• right of way

• adjusting speed for railroads and traffic hazards

• reaction distance

• stopping distance

• assessing car lengths

You will also learn how to assess your own psychological well-being to know if you should drive.

And if you thought using a seatbelt was easy, you need to learn how to use all your safety equipment properly. It's not as easy as "click it or ticket".

How long does it take?

A typically classroom course takes six hours, plus transportation time.

Online classes should take the same amount of time, but unless you have a light-speed internet connection, it will take a couple more hours than that. Plus coffee and bathroom breaks.

The point is, you can save lots of money well into the future in just one day.

Which is better, in person or online?

If you take the course in a real classroom somewhere, you have the advantage of asking questions and getting clarification.

If you take the course online, you can go at your own pace and do it from your own home. Less traveling! But, of course, you have to deal with internet hiccups.

You can even take the course online and still get a certificate from the National Safety Council.

Point Reduction

If you've gotten a traffic violation, some states give you the option of taking a defensive driving course instead of paying the ticket or to reduce points.

Every state is different, so you will have to do some research. However, most states have limits on how many times you can do this.

Now, about that discount

The size of the discount varies state to state, auto insurance provider to auto insurance provider. It can be as high as 20% or as low as $10.

Most car insurers do offer something roughly equivalent to a 10% discount.

If you want to make sure you save the most money possible, get some free auto insurance quotes online. Then, after you've compared insurance policies and investigated the companies by reading consumer reviews, see how much of a discount you can get for taking a defensive driving course. Be surprised by auto insurance quotes.

Auto insurance quotes and defensive driving courses are just good ideas as well. Savings are a bonus.