Defensive driving basics
Direct benefits from defensive driving
Conclusion
Defensive driving basics
Defensive driving is a course that you can take to improve your driving skills that are related to safety. What you learn from taking a defensive driving course will not just make the way that you drive safer, it will allow you to avoid potentially unsafe situations rather than just reacting to them. Specifically, defensive driving teaches those who take the course the high value of using seat belts, keeping a safe distance in front of you when driving, avoiding all distractions, always checking your blind spots, correctly using your mirrors, and navigating intersections with caution.
In 2023 and beyond in Hawaii, you will be able to take a defensive driving course in-person or online. Which way you decide to take a defensive driving course will be completely up to you. The online course is good if you want to take the course for a few minutes or a few sections at a time from the comfort of your home. However, the online course has been considered more detailed and difficult by some people and it often takes longer than an in-person class overall. The in-person course is good if you just want to get it all out of the way in one four hour sitting and/or prefer a classroom setting over sitting in front of a computer. Both courses count exactly the same in terms of both direct and indirect benefits.
Direct benefits from defensive driving
In addition to the peace of mind that you are driving much more safely and at considerably lower risk of getting into an accident, there are several other great direct benefits that you will get from taking a defensive driving course in Hawaii. Many people take the course because it will lower their car insurance premium payments by about 10% every year for three years after completing the course. This means if you pay an average of $1,200 per year in Hawaii for full coverage auto insurance, you will save $360 over three years! Subtract the price of the course, which is around $35 and that’s still a very substantial amount of money saved at $325.
In addition to potentially saving on your car insurance payments, defensive driving can also help you get a ticket dismissed or meet a requirement decreed by a court in Hawaii. For example, if you were driving very recklessly or have a history of reckless driving, as part of the punishment a Judge can require that you take a defensive driving course. In some cases, taking a defensive driving course can even get a ticket dismissed. Either way, you must have authorization from a Judge/court referral before taking a defensive driving course in order for it to give you either of the above benefits.
Other benefits from taking defensive driving in Hawaii can include lower auto repair and maintenance costs. This is because as a defensive driver you will not get into many or likely any accidents plus you will put less wear and tear on your car overall because you will be driving slower and less aggressively. Finally, if you drive for a living, such as a truck driver or Uber driver, defensive driving can be a requirement. If you have already passed within the previous three years, you will be able to start working sooner without having to take the course again.
Conclusion
Taking a defensive driving course in Hawaii has multiple benefits ranging from being much safer when you are out on the road to saving hundreds of dollars on your car insurance. Those that take a defensive driving course will learn not only how to drive more safely themselves, but they will learn how to anticipate and avoid dangerous situations altogether. Taking a defensive driving course is quite easy and can be done in a one-off in-person four hour course or in an online course at your leisure.
