I know taking defense driving takes points off of your license and lowers your insurance. My question is if you get a ticket for lets say 3 points and then take defense driving to knock the points off your record will your insurance still go up because of the ticket? Bascically I'm asking if insurance rates are based on points or the number of tickets you receive. And if you take defense driving with no points on your license and then get a ticket can it cancel out those points. Sort of like defense driving giving you negative points.

 

Usually defensive driving gives you a discount on your insurance from the begging. That means when you do not have a ticket. I would imagine your premuim would go up but defensive driving would be giving you an overall % premium decrease.

 

Well, when I lived in New York the defensive driving not only erased the points (3) but it gave you the discount as well. For a $40-$65 fee and 6 hours of your time, that is such a no-brainer. Too bad the shysters in PA don't believe in defensive driving. They don't believe in signals, keeping right except to pass, using horns when appropriate, registering their cars where they live, registering their cars period, stopping for red lights, turning lights on during storms or when they use their wipers, well, you get the idea!! Today I did something very un-Pennsylvanian--when 5 cars sailed through the red light while I had a left-arrow, I leaned on my horn. You shoulda seen the hurt look on the guys' face who was #5.

 

You should try driving around Boston lately