Mississippi Defensive Driving Laws & Court Resources

Mississippi law allows adult drivers facing a misdemeanor traffic violation to request court permission to complete a traffic safety violator course to keep the offense off their permanent public driving record.

• How it works: The judge will defer your sentencing for 90 days. If you successfully complete the course and present your certificate, the case is dismissed.
• Eligibility: You are strictly limited to utilizing this option once every three (3) years. Your completion is confidentially tracked by the state to enforce this rule.
• Course Requirements: The state mandates that the course must supply at least four (4) hours of instruction. (Our NSC DDC-4 course fully satisfies this requirement.)
• Exclusions: Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holders are disqualified from this program.

A moving violation can cause a severe spike in insurance rates for young drivers. Mississippi law provides trial judges the sole discretion to help minors (under age 21) protect their public driving records.

• How it works: A judge may choose to suspend a minor's license "in lieu of conviction" for a traffic offense.
• The Requirement: The judge can require the minor to successfully complete an approved defensive driving course as a condition of that suspension. Completing the course prevents the ticket from becoming a permanent public conviction.
• Our 8-Hour Driver IMPACT (Alive at 25®) program is specifically designed to address the behavior of young drivers and is widely accepted by MS courts for this purpose.

If you are an older driver, you may be legally entitled to a reduction in your automobile insurance premiums, regardless of your driving record.

• The Law: Mississippi auto insurance providers are legally mandated to offer a premium discount to any driver 55 years of age or older who voluntarily completes an approved motor vehicle accident prevention course.
• Duration: The discount remains valid for three (3) full years following course completion.
• Exceptions: This mandatory discount does not apply if you are taking the course because a court ordered you to do so as punishment for a moving violation.