Learner's License Pilot Program Ends

The authority for traffic schools and other vendors to offer an "Online Driver's Permit Test" to prospective drivers in the state of the Florida was granted by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) as part of a 4-year pilot program that concludes on December 31, 2010. As required, the Traffic Safety Consultants (TSC) Web Development Team will be removing all pertinent referring links from our affiliates' websites before the end of this year.

The "Online Driver's Permit Test" program may be allowed to resume after the DHSMV has completed a statistical evaluation of its effectiveness, but there is currently no proposed time frame for that to happen. If the DHSMV grants vendors the permission to offer the program in the wake of their effectiveness study, TSC will promptly reactivate the pertinent links on affiliate websites.

TSC thanks you for your participation in this valuable pilot program and for your help going forward. If you have any questions, you may follow up with Donna via email, or call her at 800 . 252 . 9951.

Ring In the New Year Right!

The new year is a time for revelry and renewal—not for an arrest for driving under the influence of controlled substances. Be sure to remind your students that now is a good time to start considering their transportation options if they'll be going out to celebrate New Year's Eve. After all, the penalties for DUI are getting harsher every year—and rightly so: roughly a third of motor vehicle fatalities involve an intoxicated driver, and the number is substantially higher during the winter holidays.

Earlier this month, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood highlighted the new "No Refusal" strategy that a number of states are employing to put an end to drunk driving. The "No Refusal" program allows law enforcement officers to quickly obtain warrants from "on call" judges in order to take blood samples from suspected intoxicated drivers who refuse a breathalyzer test. (The latest data show that the states with the highest refusal rates included New Hampshire at 81%, Massachusetts at 41%, Florida at 40%, Louisiana at 39%, and Ohio at 38%.) States that have adopted "No Refusal" programs report more guilty pleas, fewer trials, and more convictions.

What can drivers do to avoid a DUI—and, likely as not, save their lives or the lives of others? They can avoid driving after they've consumed alcohol or other intoxicating substances. Some alternatives include:

• Have a designated driver accompany their party.
• Take a cab, bus, train, etc.
• Call a sober friend for a ride home.
• Stay overnight at or near where they are consuming.
• Celebrate the New Year with activities that do not involve alcohol or drugs.

Also, some taxi services and auto clubs sponsor anti-DUI programs on New Year's Eve, but the details vary. Fortunately, there are still a few days left to investigate these services before they're really needed!

Marketing to Younger Drivers

You naturally hope (for their sake and for the benefit of the driving public) that you never see a customer again. We know, however, that despite the demonstrated effectiveness of traffic safety education, it's likely that you'll encounter a repeat customer or two. Why not lock in younger drivers and earn yourself a lifelong customer—or, at least, a lifetime of referral business?

Branding is incredibly important to the teen market, so establish your products' credibility and make sure to extract and promote the qualities that will raise you above your competition. Be specific and sincere. Bear in mind, also, that parents' opinions matter: they are the economic providers, and you must address and cross-market to them with a well-positioned message.

Jump on the bandwagon. Nothing is so enticing to the teen market as whatever their friends are doing. Encourage them to join the crowd by buying your product. Promote through the new social media websites. Highlight the "coolness" factor and you'll have trouble keeping them away!

Excitement! Who could ever have imagined that traffic safety education could be so much fun? Make sure to position the entertaining features of the course at the front of your marketing message.

Boredom in a classroom vs. FUN on the Internet. How would new drivers rather learn? Why should teens—and their parents—be inconvenienced when driver education is approved and available in their home, at any time they want access to it, backed by great customer service?

Good for the entire family. Rebelliousness aside, kids are more likely to purchase a product that considers adult approval and doesn't come across as just another slick marketing message. As well, you'll need to appease the parents who will actually be handing over their hard-earned income. By appearing fun but responsible, you can have the best of both worlds.

Facts and stats. Use statistics and other hard facts to enhance your products' credibility and put you ahead of the competition.

Remember that teens are a constant target of marketers, and can be a challenging crowd to woo. Marketing communications should be direct and to-the-point, with no frills or embellishments. Most importantly, your message should be trustworthy. You are not selling something for your benefit; you are selling something that will benefit them. Keeping these points in mind when developing marketing strategies for your younger prospects can help you to attract customers that will be with you for a lifetime.

TSC's Mature Driver Course Approved

Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc., (TSC) is constantly working to expand and improve the product lines that we offer to our affiliate partners. Toward that end, we are proud to announce that our own TSC-developed online Mature Driver Course curriculum was recently approved by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV).

The Mature Driver/Insurance Discount Course is a 6-hour traffic safety education program that focuses on basic driving and accident prevention skills, but also features discussions of the special considerations that older motorists might need to address. It is available to Florida drivers age 55 and older who would like to save money on their auto insurance premiums (and who doesn't want that?). The successful completion of a Mature Driver Course confers a state-mandated three-year reduction to the driver's automobile insurance premiums, and the course may be completed every three years to effectively extend the reduction indefinitely. While the exact amount of the discount varies by insurer, the low-cost course easily pays for itself many times over.

Affiliates who would like to offer TSC's DHSMV-approved Mature Driver Course should email Gloria Verver, our Director of Affiliate Programs, or call her at 800 . 252. 9488 for the details. It takes just moments to update your existing traffic school website with the appropriate link to this online course. As always, we look forward to working with you to provide the best traffic safety education products available!