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The New York Point & Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP)also know as an Accident Prevention Course or Defensive Driving, is approved by the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, it is available through private companies or corporations, called "course sponsors," throughout New York State. Each qualifying course must meet strict standards for the safe driving information presented and program effectiveness. If you complete an approved PIRP course: 1. It will help refresh your driving knowledge with a review of time-tested safe driving tips and an overview of today's vehicle and traffic laws. 2. You may be eligible to reduce as many as four (4) points on your driving record. The DMV computer will automatically note your eligibility to receive the reduction. 3. If you are the principal operator of a motor vehicle, you will receive a minimum 10% reduction in the base rate of your automobile and motorcycle liability and collision insurance premiums each year for three years. The Course Facts Each course is at least six hours long, and is presented in one or more classroom sessions. (Note: The motorcycle safety/accident prevention courses takes substantially longer.) Essential information about traffic safety issues such as driver attitude and behavior, defensive driving techniques, and the Vehicle & Traffic Law must be presented in each course. Additional content, approach, materials and fees vary from one "sponsor to another. No formal testing is required to complete the course. For information on where to attend a course, consult your local telephone book under "Driving Instruction" or equivalent sections. You may also contact one of the program sponsors presented in the DMV publication, "List of Course Sponsors" (C-31), available at any state or county motor vehicle office and by request from DMV Call Center and the DMV Internet Office. Point Reduction The PIRP sponsor will notify the DMV within ten weeks after you complete the course. A notice will then be entered on your driving record, and the DMV computer will automatically reduce your active point total by up to four points. Important: Completion of a course under the "Point & Insurance Reduction Program" does not remove, delete, subtract, or erase any violation, conviction, or notice of original number of points from your driving record. Even after you complete the course, most violations, conviction and points assessed will continue to show on your driving record for up to four years. Violations and convictions involving drugs or alcohol will remain on your driving record for ten years. "Point reduction" means the DMV will not count up to four points on your driving record toward license revocation or suspension. If you need to verify the course completion has been entered on your record, you may request a copy of your driving record from the DMV. To do so, you must complete a "Request for Driver and/or Vehicle Record Information" (form MV-15), available at any motor vehicle office. You may also download this form from the DMV internet office. If your course completion is not noted on your driving record more than ten weeks after you completed it, contact the course sponsor. Point reduction applies only to points assessed for violations that occurred within the eighteen months immediately before course completion. It does not affect points for earlier violations, and cannot be used as "credit" against future violations or points. Point reduction cannot reduce your point total lower than zero. If your license has already been revoked or suspended, or if a violation hearing has already been scheduled, point reduction will not affect that action. Point reduction does not prevent or cancel a mandatory revocation or suspension for violations such as DWI, DWAI, or three speeding violations within 18 months. Points may be reduced only once in any 18-month period. The DMV point system and insurance company "point" systems are separate and not related. Point reduction on your driving record does not affect points assigned by your insurance company for violations and accidents. Completion of a course under the "Point & Insurance Reduction Program" also cannot prevent or reduce the calculation of points affecting a "Driver Responsibility Assessment." The most recent information about the "Driver Responsibility Assessment" program is available from the DMV Internet Office. Insurance Reduction Point & Insurance Reduction The course sponsor should mail you a completion certificate within 45 days after you complete the course. If you present your certificate to your insurance company or agent within 90 days after course completion, your liability and collision premium reduction will begin immediately, retroactive to the date you completed the course. If you present your certificate more than 90 days after course completion, the insurer may issue the premium discount effective from the date presented. If you do not receive your certificate within eight weeks after completion, immediately contact the program sponsor. You may take the course once every 36 months to maintain insurance reduction benefits. Insurance reduction does not prevent general premium increases, or premium increases due to violations or accidents. It provides a 10% reduction for three years, from the base rate of your current liability, no-fault and collision premiums. The insurance premium reduction applies to all motor vehicles principally operated by the motorist who completes the course. The discount can be applied to only one driver for each covered vehicle. The reduction applies to the liability and collision insurance premiums for both your motorcycle and automobile. Any insured driver who is the principal operator and completes a Point & Insurance Reduction Program course will receive the discount. |
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