The National Safety Council's 8-Hour Defensive Driving
Course is an accredited point reduction program that is listed by name
under SC Code 56-1-770."Any
driver who has accumulated points under the provisions of this article
shall have the number of his points reduced by four upon proving to
the satisfaction of the Department of Public Safety that he has completed
the National Safety Council's "Defensive Driving Course" or
its equivalent, if the course is completed after the points have been
assessed."
Our course
is clearly a cut above the rest.
South
Carolina Point Reduction Program
Completion of the National Safety Council's Defensive
Driving 8-Hour Course can be used for up to a four point reduction in
a driver's Motor Vehicle Record. (This information only applies to
individuals with a valid South Carolina Drivers License.)
Effective
September 28, 2009, South
Carolina drivers seeking to
reduce their points and avoid
suspension by attending a
defensive driving course must
complete the course before the
suspension begins. They will
have 30 days from the date of
the suspension notice until the
date the suspension begins. Once
the suspension begins, the point
reduction will not cancel the
suspension. Points may still
only be reduced once in a
three-year period.
- If the violation date is before the Defensive Driving Course completion
date, credit of up to four points will be given. All violations
occurring after the completion date of the course will not be accepted.
- Point reduction is good once every three (3) years.
- If an individual has one, two, or three points assessed against
his/her Motor Vehicle Record and the individual requests point reduction,
he/she will be given however many points showing on their MVR at
this time, and will not be eligible to receive point reduction again
for three (3) years.
- South Carolina law allows up to twelve (12) points before license
suspension occurs.
- The Defensive Driving Course is taught throughout South Carolina
at the Technical College System locations. Individuals completing
the Defensive Driving Course at any of these locations will automatically
receive a point reduction unless they request otherwise. All Technical
College point reduction rosters are submitted weekly to the South
Carolina Highway Department. If time is critical in the point reduction
process, the Completion Certificate should be hand carried to the
Driver Service Window at 1630 Shop Road in Columbia, SC.
- All individuals completing a Defensive Driving Course through any other organization or state may receive point reduction by mailing a copy of their National Safety Council Defensive Driving 8-Hour Completion Certificate (please do not send the original) with a money order for $20.00 to the National Safety Council, South Carolina Chapter, 121 Ministry Drive, Irmo, SC 29063. We will accept a fax copy that accompanies a credit card number. (VISA, MasterCard, Discover)
- Individuals requesting point reduction may also hand deliver their
entire, original Completion Certificate to the Driver Service Window
at 1630 Shop Road in Columbia, SC.
- All questions regarding driver license status or violation information
should be referred to Driver Service at 803-896-5000.
