I-PIRP is a New York defensive driving course that has been available in New York for many years in a classroom setting and was recently approved by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles for online delivery. PIRP stands for Point and Insurance Reduction Program; I-PIRP stands for Internet Point and Insurance Reduction Program – the same course delivered via the internet. The online (I-PIRP) course offers the same benefits of the classroom course, including point reduction and an auto insurance discount, with the additional advantage of allowing drivers to take the course at their own pace in the privacy of their homes. All New York drivers are eligible to take this course.
Drivers who complete the course receive up to a four-point reduction in the total number of active points on their driving records, depending on when the points were assessed. This means that the DMV will not count up to four points on the driving record towards a driver’s license revocation or suspension. Drivers also receive a 10% reduction from the base rate of their current liability, no-fault and collision auto insurance premiums for three years. Drivers with zero points on their driving record will still receive an insurance discount of 10% for three years, so taking the defensive driving course is worthwhile even for drivers with spotless driving records.
The course is designed to make receiving these benefits easy and affordable, even for drivers who are new to the internet. The New York defensive driving class can be taken from any computer with an internet connection – at home, at work, at school, or even in a coffee shop. The internet driving class is perfect for drivers who have busy lives because it can be completed at their own convenience and at their own pace. Drivers can log in and out of the course as many times as they wish during a 30-day period; their progress in the course is saved each time they log out of the course, so they can return to the place they left off when they log in again.
The New York Department of Motor Vehicles requires the Point and Insurance Reduction Program course to be six hours long, whether the course is completed online or in a classroom. The time requirement begins after drivers complete their course registration. The course must be completed within 30 days of registration.
Drivers who complete the course receive a certificate for completing the course. Passing a test is not required to receive a certificate of completion. The provider of the course will notify the New York DMV when a driver completes the course. The NYDMV will then enter the notice on the individual’s New York driving record, and up to four points will be deducted from the total number of active points on the person’s driving record. Here’s some additional information about point reduction for completion of the I-PIRP course:
- Drivers may take the I-PIRP defensive driving class once in an 18-month period to reduce points from the driving record. Drivers cannot receive credit for points assessed more than 18 months before completing the course or for any future points assessed to the driving record.
- Violations will still show on the driving record even after drivers complete the I-PIRP course. Even after you complete the driving class, most violations, convictions, and points assessed will remain on your New York driving record for up to four years. Violations and convictions that involve drugs or alcohol will appear on your driving record for ten years.
- Drivers who are facing a license revocation or suspension will receive the point reduction for taking the I-PIRP course, but taking the course will not necessarily prevent the revocation or suspension from happening.
- A driver responsibility assessment is not affected by completion of the defensive driving class or the resulting point reduction.
To receive the insurance discount for completing the I-PIRP course, drivers should present their certificates of completion to the auto insurance agents within 90 days of completing the course. After 90 days, drivers can still receive a discount, but insurance agents may issue the discount effective from the date the certificate was submitted. Here’s some additional information about receiving an auto insurance discount for completion of the I-PIRP course:
- Each person with a New York driver’s license listed as a principal operator on the family’s auto insurance policy must take this course to be eligible for a discount; for example, if a husband and wife have two passenger vehicles, both must take the course to receive a discount on each policy. The insurance discount can only be applied to one driver for each covered vehicle.
- Teen drivers can also take the I-PIRP course; any licensed, insured driver who is the principal operator of a vehicle and completes the course will receive the discount, and the course helps reinforce safe driving concepts for newly licensed drivers.
- Drivers may take the course once every 36 months to maintain their insurance discounts.
- Taking the New York defensive driving course does not prevent regular insurance premium increases or premium increases due to violations or crashes.