DMV Commissioner Announces New I-PIRP Courses

• by New York State Department of Motor Vehicles

ALBANY, NY (05/18/2009)(readMedia)-- Commissioner David J. Swarts of the Department of Motor Vehicles today announced the availability of the new Internet Point Insurance Reduction Program or I-PIRP. The innovative program will increase traffic safety awareness through the convenience of utilizing the Internet. Traditionally, drivers only had classroom-based accident prevention courses available but the new I-PIRP allows for instruction during times convenient to the motorist.

The goal of expanding the current classroom-based program to include an online course delivery method is ultimately to educate more drivers and to reduce the number of crashes in New York that are caused by unsafe driving habits.

"The Point and Insurance Reduction Program courses are the only driver safety courses that the majority of drivers will take in their lifetime after they first become licensed," Commissioner Swarts said. "By making the course available over the internet, the innovative program will provide valuable driver refresher information that will make our roadways safer."

Normal Point Insurance Reduction Program courses are at least six hours long and are presented in one or more classroom sessions. During the course, essential information about traffic safety issues such as driver attitude and behavior, defensive driving techniques, and the Vehicle and Traffic Law are presented and discussed.

Although the classroom-based courses will continue to be available, expanding beyond the structured environment will create additional opportunities for drivers to benefit from the program, which will help achieve DMV's overall goal of making our roads safer for all New Yorkers.

These courses provide a minimum of 320 minutes of instruction on topics such as collision prevention, defensive driving techniques, alcohol and drug use as contributing factors in traffic incidents, the risk factors involved in driver attitude that trigger behavior such as speeding, reckless and aggressive driving, improper lane use, speeding and aggressive driving, and so on. Drivers who successfully complete the course will receive a 10 percent reduction in the base rate of their liability and collision insurance premiums, and a reduction of up to four points on the driving record.

A list of currently approved providers and more information about the pilot program is available on the DMV website at: nysdmv.com.

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