A rule change, effective Feb. 1, 2009, eliminates the 18% reduction in civil penalties for drivers who elect to attend a Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course to keep points off of their records.
Because the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) recognizes the great public safety value of having motorists attend driver safety education courses, however, Floridians can still attain several benefits by attending a BDI course:
- Points are not assessed to the driver's record, adjudication is withheld, and "safe driver" status is maintained.
- Insurance rates cannot increase and the driver's policy cannot be cancelled because of this violation, unless the violation was a result of a crash in which the driver was at fault.
Furthermore, effective Oct. 1, 2008, drivers may elect to attend a BDI course in lieu of points up to five times in a 10-year period (instead of five times in a lifetime, as was previously the case).
For further details about Florida's driver improvement program, you can refer to the DHSMV's driver improvement Web page.
