Delaware Decides Against Written Test for Defensive Driving Discount

Delaware Insurance Commissioner Matt Denn said that he will not accept a recommendation to require defensive driving course participants to pass a written test in order to receive the defensive driving discount on their insurance.

“My staff identified concerns with the quality of some defensive driving classes and the unfairness of mandatory tests for online courses but not classroom courses,” Denn said. “However, the public testimony I have received has convinced me that fewer people would take defensive driving courses if a test were required. If that were to be the case, fewer drivers on our roads receive information about safe driving and that is not a desirable outcome.”

Denn also said that he would ask his staff to propose ways to verify the identity of an online course participant in a “less onerous” way than the current written, in-person test. He indicated that there would be a series of both announced and unannounced classroom audits by the department to assess classroom material and instruction.

The proposed regulation addressing testing and other issues involving defensive driving courses will be revised and resubmitted for public comment.