Have you received a traffic ticket in the Orlando Florida area? If so, we can help.
Keep in mind that the longer you wait to address your situation, the fewer options you’ll have available.
Your Options
Pay. You can pay the ticket fine and accept the consequences, which could include points added to your driving record and increased insurance rates.
Fight. You could also hire a lawyer to help you fight the charge in court. If the judge agrees with your side of the story, you could get your ticket dismissed. But there’s also a chance you’ll still have to pay the fine plus lawyer fees, as well as get points added to your record, which could spike your insurance premium.
Learn. That’s right. In Florida, there’s a third option that prevents added points on your driving record simply by learning how to be a safer driver. And fewer points on your record can keep your insurance rate from skyrocketing.
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FHSMV) department has approved an online safe driving course called the Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course. Drivers who successfully complete the BDI course must pay the violation fine but can avoid points added to their driving record.
You may be eligible to take the DriveSafe Online Basic Driver Improvement (BDI) course if you received a moving violation in Orange and Osceola Counties.
But don’t let that traffic ticket sit for too long. You only have 30 days to inform the county clerk that you want to take the online BDI course.
Check Your Ticket
If you lost your paper copy, have no fear. Florida drivers can look up traffic tickets online. Just follow this simple process:
-Get your license and Social Security card
-Visit the Florida HSMV website
-Review your driving record
First, you’ll need your Florida Driver’s License number and your Social Security number. If you have these memorized, great! If not, grab your wallet and find your Social Security card, and make a note of those numbers. They’re required to access your driving record.
Next, visit the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles website. Click on the Driver’s Licenses & ID Cards menu at the top left, then select Driver’s License Check & ID Tracking System. This will take you to the Driver’s License Check, where you will enter your driver license number. You must complete the CAPTCHA to advance, and then you’ll enter the last four digits of your Social Security number to confirm your identity.
Once you’ve established your identity, you will see your driving record, including any traffic violations you’ve received. If you have received any tickets within the previous 30 days, it’s time to decide how you want to proceed: fight the ticket, pay the fine and accept the points on your record, or take a BDI course and pay the fine to close your case without points impacting your auto insurance.
Take the Online BDI Course
Why take the DriveSafe Online Florida BDI course?
- You will not be convicted of the violation if you complete the BDI course
- No points will be assessed to your driver’s record for the violation
- Your auto insurance rate cannot be raised due to the citation according to Florida law
If you can keep points off your record and your insurance from possibly skyrocketing, do it.
The DriveSafe Online four-hour course meets all the requirements for Florida BDI courses, such as state-approved content that will give you tools and techniques for safely navigating Florida roads and highways. The video-based course is interesting and engaging, bringing you in-car and drone footage to help you visualize real-world driving scenarios.
Plus, with our smart bookmarking functionality, you can take the course over multiple sessions and pick up right where you left off. You’ll never have to repeat content or struggle to find your place. And if you prefer, you always have the option of taking the course in a single session.
We want to see you succeed and keep points off your Florida driving record. That’s why we created a clear, straightforward course with a 99% pass rate on the first try. We also give you practice quizzes to help you prepare for the final exam.
Prepare with the BDI Study Guide
Check out our BDI course study guide to get an idea what you can expect when taking the course. Our approach to interactive learning will build your skills without a lot of extra fluff.
So register today – or any time within 30 days of receiving a traffic ticket – on your computer, laptop, or mobile device. Whether you’re in Orlando, Kissimmee, or any other city in Orange or Osceola counties, we have the solution to your traffic ticket woes.
Patrick M. is Editorial Director for the always expanding DriveSafe Online library of courses. With over two decades of experience developing award-winning training, he now focuses on innovating online driver safety training. Pulling from his background in journalism, he steers the wheel behind the creation of top-tier content that promotes a better journey—whether on the digital highway of learning or the real roads we travel every day.