Traffic School and Defensive Driving Courses made Fun and Simple

Improv Traffic School presents the Improv Defensive Driving Course Online. An award - winning Internet Defensive Driving course that helps drivers across the country to save on their auto Insurance and keep the points of their record.

Started 20 years ago in Los Angeles, in partnership with the Famous Improv Comedy Club, our goal is to provide fun, simple and effective Online Defensive Driving Course that is approved for ticket dismissal and/or insurance reduction. Over two million drivers have taken advantage of our Laff n'Learn approach to keep their driving records clean and insurance rates low.

Written by professional Hollywood writers, this defensive driving course is formatted for the 5th Grade reading level, making it very easy to complete even for the most technically challenged.

What is Our Secret?
One word - Edutainment*

* "Edutainment (also educational entertainment or entertainment-education) is a form of entertainment designed to educate as well as to amuse. Edutainment typically seeks to instruct or socialize its audience by embedding lessons in some familiar form of entertainment." - Wikipedia.

Traffic Tickets From Out of Sate

Complements of Improv Traffic School http://www.MyImprov.com

Drivers ticketed out of their home state may face consequences both at the ticketing state and Motor Vehicles and in their home states, as a result of the Interstate Driver’s License Compact.

DMV cannot revoke an out-of-state license because it is considered the property of another state. However, DMV can suspend a driver’s privileges within the state, and will notify the licensing state of the driver, especially in the event of the DUI / DWI arrest through the Interstate Driver’s License Compact.

The Interstate Driver’s License Compact is an agreement between 45 states to share information regarding certain types of convictions, including drunk driving, DUI/ DWI, and driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) convictions. If the driver’s license was issued by the one of the 45 states, the licensing state may revoke the motorist’s driving privileges.

Whether a state will take action against a driver’s license depends on the state itself. There are five states that are not a party to the agreement, and will not take any action. These states are Wisconsin, Tennessee, Georgia, Massachusetts, and Michigan.

States that don’t have an administrative system may require a court conviction before they will take any action against a driver’s privileges.

In the event of the DUI/DWI, the type of action taken depends on the state as well. Some states duplicate the actions of the state where the arrest was made. For example, if California suspends a driver’s privileges within that state for four months, the licensing state may suspend for the same length of time. Other states may enhance the action, or even require the payment of fines. Other states may be more lenient.

Best way to avoid infraction points on your record is to contact a jurisdiction (typically a local court) that issued you a ticket and ask if they will adjudicate your traffic ticket by allowing you to complete a defensive driving course also known as traffic school. Most states like Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Texas have state wide traffic school programs and will allow you to complete defensive driving course online in your home state.

Five Things Your Car Probably Doesn't Need

By Eric Peters

October 14, 2009

For myimprov.com

Owning and operating a car is a major expense - second only in many people's lives to the cost of rent or a mortgage. But it's the little things that can really nickel and dime you into the poorhouse.

The good news is a lot of it is stuff you can skip altogether. For example:

* Gas additives -

The gas you buy - whether unleaded regular, mid-grade or premium - probably already has the additives your car's engine needs.

People often confuse quality with octane - and believe that higher-cost "premium" fuel is better gas than "regular" - but these terms refer to the octane rating of the fuel, not its quality.

You pay more for high-octane fuel than you do for regular, but unless you car's engine needs high octane "premium" fuel, buying it over "regular" (or "mid-grade") isn't getting you better gas. Just more expensive gas. All grades of gas usually have the same additive packages (with some exceptions, such as off-brand fuels). If you stick with name-brand gasoline, buying pour-in additives is an unnecessary expense - like buying salt to go with Saltines.

* Oil additives -

As with fuel additives, buying bottles of additive to mix with your oil is usually not necessary and may even lead to problems. For one, if you stick with the type/quality of oil specified in your owner's manual, that oil will already meet (or exceed) the requirements laid down by the engineers who designed your car's engine. You'd only need to add something if the oil you bought was missing it to begin with - and if you buy the type/quality of oil recommended by the people who built your car, it won't be.

For two, additives may cause problems; do you really know what's in that stuff you're about to pour into your crankcase? It may be a completely harmless money-waster. But it might be more than that, too - if the stuff gunks up your engine or contains solvents that dilute the oil and ruin its ability to lubricate/protect your engine's internals. Also, be aware of the capacity issue. If you've added a quart (or even a half-quart) of additive to an already full crankcase, your engine is now over-filled. Too much oil in the crankcase can cause numerous problems, some of them serious. It's very important not to overfill your engine with oil - or additives.

* Car wash "rust protection" -

Automatic car washes are a wonderful convenience but some of the extras typically offered are of dubious, if any value.

"Rust protection" spray is one of them.

In the first place, modern vehicles are extensively rust-proofed during the assembly process; all the exposed metal parts have already been coated/treated/painted to keep rust from forming. Spraying any additional "rust prevention" on these parts is superfluous. (This isn't a car wash issue, but any heavy spray-on "rust prevention" coating applied to a car's underbody might actually accelerate rust by locking in moisture, etc.)

The basic wash is the best value because it actually gives you something for your money. Most of those extras are just heavily hyped (and heavily marked up) money wasters.

You're better off putting the money in a cookie jar.

* High speed "performance" tires -

In the United States, the highest legal speed limit is 80 mph (in Texas). In most states, it is 65 or maybe 70. Nowhere is it legal (or even realistically possible) to cruise at speeds much above 80 mph for extended periods of time without risking a huge ticket, or possibly even jail time.

Yet many cars come equipped from the factory with tires designed for safe travel at continuous speeds in excess of 130 mph (or more). On Germany's unrestricted speed Autobahns, such tires are not just useful, they're essential. Here, they're expensive overkill.

While it's true that high-speed performance tires also offer better handling "at the limit" (e.g., on a race track or under severe high-performance use) in 99 percent of real-world driving that most of us do, less aggressive (and expensive) tires are perfectly satisfactory. Just be sure the tire you're looking at meets the minimum load rating specified by the vehicle owner's manual.

* Extended warranties -

These things can go either way - and sometimes, not your way - so it's smart to do some math before you commit.

The cost of the extended warranty may be more than the cost of some down-the-road repair that might never happen anyhow. For example, let's say the cost of an extended warranty is $2,000. Two years down the road, your vehicle needs a new transmission and the cost is $1,800. You're $200 poorer than you would otherwise have been. Keep in mind, too, that extended warranties (like health insurance) sometimes have deductibles or "pro rata" partial payment coverage.

Some people like the peace of mind that comes with knowing "they're covered" by an extended warranty. But you can get the same thing by just setting aside the money you'd otherwise have spent to buy the warranty. Put it in an interest-earning savings or checking account. You may not earn much, but you will earn something - and if the car never suffers a breakdown, that money will still be in your proverbial pocket. If you bought the extended warranty and the car never has a problem, you get literally nothing in return for your "investment."

If you still like the idea of an extended warranty, be sure to closely read and understand all the caveats, Ifs, Ands or Buts. These warranties are often liberally salted with weasel wording designed to let the issuer avoid a payout - and leave you holding the proverbial bag.

Eric Peters writes about cars and defensive driving issues for Improv Traffic School

How to Keep a Little Used Car in "ready to go" condition

By Eric Peters

October 27, 2009

For myimprov.com

You may have a rarely driven classic car - or perhaps a second or third vehicle that mostly just sits. But cars were meant to be used regularly - including classics, which after all, were once regular production cars built to be driven.

If you have a vehicle that sits idle for more than about 10 days at a time, there are a few simple things you can do to keep it in "ready to go" condition and also to limit or even prevent deterioration from lack of use.

Here's how:

* If possible, keep the vehicle stored indoors. A garage is ideal because the car won't get rained on (a vehicle's biggest enemy) and you can crack the windows a little to allow air to circulate inside the interior.

If that's not feasible, a good all-weather car cover is the next best thing. Be sure to get one that "breathes" and do not use a tarp or anything like that - which will trap moisture and accelerate corrosion. A good car cover will limit sun damage, exposure to acid rain, bird droppings and so on; environmental factors that are very hard on paint and rubber and interior fabrics, etc.

* Try to clean the vehicle before it is stored/left for weeks. This will help prevent stains from setting and corrosive materials (such as road salt, etc.) from eating away at the car's exterior. Be especially vigilant about wiping down areas such as the underside of the doors, rocker panels, underside of the trunk/drain channels and so on. Try to keep these areas free of moisture-trapping debris.

* Buy an automatic battery tender (about $40). This is a device with two alligator clamps (one for each terminal on the car's battery) and a cord that plugs into any household 110v outlet. The battery tender will automatically maintain the battery at peak charge, turning itself on and off as needed. This will prevent the otherwise inevitable slow death of an expensive battery from lack of use as well as keep the car in ready to start condition.

* Try to leave the car with a full tank prior to leaving it parked for extended periods - and top it off with fresh gas each time you use it. This will help prevent in-tank condensation (which can lead to rust in the tanks/lines) and also keep the fuel fresh longer. If the vehicle will be stored/not used often enough to burn up at least one full tank of fuel every six months or so, consider adding a fuel stabilizer such as Sta-Bil for extra insurance against deteriorated fuel.

Most important of all:

* Try to drive the vehicle for 30 minutes, minimum, at least once every four weeks or so. This will allow all systems to "warm up" fully, which will burn off internal contaminants (such as unburned fuel), coat all surfaces with fresh oil/lubrication (including transmission, axles and so on), allow the car's charging system to operate, keep the brakes in good operating condition (by "wiping" rust off the rotors and keeping the pistons inside the brake calipers from seizing up, etc.) and prevent the tires from developing flat spots from sitting on the same section of tread for too long.

* If the car has air conditioning, it's especially important to run the system for at least 5-10 minutes once a month or so - even in the winter. You don't have to have the temperature control set to "cold" - just so long as the AC compressor is running. This will circulate lube within the system, which will prevent loss of refrigerant through brittle seals and deteriorating hoses, etc.

* Change the engine oil and filter once every six months regardless of mileage. In fact, the less the car is driven, the more important this service often is. In the engine of a vehicle that just sits for long periods (especially a classic car with a carburetor rather than electronic fuel injection) the oil can get excessively contaminated/diluted (or turn to sludge) if it's not changed out regularly.

Keeping fresh oil in a little-used vehicle is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to assure its long (and problem-free) life.

Eric Peters writes about cars and defensive driving issues for Improv Traffic School.

new car review: 2010 VW cc
By Eric Peters
November 25, 2009
For myimprov.com

The Volkswagen Comfort Coupe (CC) is a mid-sized, mid-priced sedan based on the Passat with dramatic "coupe-inspired" styling - including rear bucket seats. It seats four only (instead of the usual five) and is intended to give buyers who'd prefer a two-door something with four doors that's more intimate than a standard sedan.

Prices start at $27,100 for the base Sport model with four-cylinder engine and run to $39,800 for the high-performance VR6 version. Front-drive is standard, AWD optional with the VR6.

Ups

Sexy (and distinctive) body, beautifully finished interior, very affordable in base trim form; good gas mileage with base four-cylinder engine. One of the very few sedans that actually does turn heads.

Downs

Why isn't VW offering its excellent TDI diesel engine (and 40 mpg capability) in this thing?

The Details

The CC can be equipped with either of two powerplants - a turbocharged 2.0 liter four and a 3.6 liter V-6.

The four is standard and develops 200 hp. It can be teamed with either a standard six-speed manual transmission or (optionally) a six-speed automatic.

All CCs equipped with the 2.0 liter engine are front-wheel-drive only.

VW says the 2.0 liter CC Sport with six-speed manual can reach 60 in about 7.3 seconds. The EPA says the CC with the 2.0 liter engine and six-speed manual is good for 21 MPG city and 31MPG on the highway.

Automatic models lose about 2 MPG on both ends.

The optional 3.6 liter V-6 rates 280 hp and can be ordered with VW's 4-Motion all-wheel-drive system. However, the larger engine cannot be ordered with a manual transmission. VR6 models come only with the six-speed automatic. On the upside, you'll cut your 0-60 time down by almost one full second with this engine (6.5-6.6 seconds) but on the downside, mileage droops to 17 city, 25 highway (with the optional AWD; front-drive models are 1-3 MPG better, respectively).

It's odd that so many car companies - VW included - market sporty, performance-oriented cars that are automatic-only in their most powerful trims. A CC with the optional VR6 would be a lot more fun (and also likely eke out slightly better mileage) if it could be teamed up with the six-speed manual transmission. It's possible that VW is concerned about the high output of this engine being abruptly channeled to the front wheels through a clutch - but why not let the owner worry about that? Mazda, for one, sells FWD cars pushing 300 hp with manual transmissions. And surely, with AWD, the six-speed would be civilized enough?

It's a shame.

So also is the decision not to offer the TDI diesel engine (at least, for now) that's currently available in the Jetta and (reportedly) will soon be available in the Passat. This engine (which is sold with a six-speed manual transmission, too) pegs a stupendous 41 MPG on the highway - 15 MPG more than the VR6 - with acceleration/performance that's close to what you get with the 2.0 liter, gas-burning four.

Maybe VW will reconsider - particularly when gas jumps back up to $3 or $4 per gallon.

Your best bet right now is probably the Sport model with the 2.0 turbocharged gas engine. It offers snappy acceleration with either transmission as well as acceptable fuel economy. Some four-cylinder engines aren't great with automatics but the VW four's turbo builds torque quickly and early, so it's not soggy feeling on the bottom end, at lower driving speeds - and has a nice punch when you floor it to pass someone.

VW takes the "Comfort" part of CC seriously, so this car is built mainly to be serenely quite, sturdy-feeling and wall off the outside world from those cocooned inside. It's not set up to be a hard-core corner charger like a BMW 3, though it shares the secure, planted and precision feel that's native to German-built cars. Electrically assisted power steering and quick turn-in make the CC easy to adjust in tight quarters, such as parallel parking on a busy street. On the road, it's got the premium feel of a much more expensive car. Even with its frameless door glass (a challenge to weatherstrip against wind noise) the CC's cabin is penetrated by less road noise at 80 mph than gets through to the occupants of a Pontiac Solstice at 45 mph.

With so many look-alike cars out there, the CC's show-car shape (and custom-looking interior) really stand apart. There's no question that VW designers were inspired by the stunning Benz CLS - and there's nothing wrong with cadging a good design, either. At least, if it's done right. And VW did it right. There isn't an ugly or awkward line on the outside and the interior is an absolute knockout. The four bucket seats (finished in handsome V-Tex perforated leatherette material) are gorgeous to look at and just as nice to sit in. They are supportive and soft - a hard to find combination. Twin center consoles separate each occupant, enhancing the sense of "personal space."

Bun warmers are standard, too - even on the base CC.

Despite having seats for four people only, probably many people who buy a sedan only really need room for four - not the five that can theoretically be carried in a typical mid-sized sedan. The CC thus has real word practicality but also panache that standard-type five-passenger sedans can't match.

Back seat headroom is surprisingly generous - more than you'd expect given the sexy-looking tapered roofline. I'm 6 ft. 3 inches tall and the top of my head only just barely touched the ceiling. If I scooched down just a bit in the buckets, it was no problem at all. Anyone under 6 feet will be fine, scooched down or bolt upright.

The CC's trunk is 13 cubic feet - a little less than the Passat (with which it shares its underlying platform), which as 14.2 cubic feet. But like the difference between four and five-passenger seating, the loss of 1.2 cubic feet of trunk capacity may not be much real-world loss for many potential cc buyers.

Overall, this is a superbly finished and fitted car. You should go look at a $70,000 Mercedes-Benz CLS and then look at a $27,100 CC to get a sense of just how well-executed this thing is, and not "just for the money," either.

The only major safety device that's not included in the car's base price are rear seat side-impact air bags. Traction and stability control, ABS, front seat side-impact and curtain air bags for both rows are all standard.

In Sum

The CC is a show-car looker with a middle-of-the-roader price tag. All that's missing is the presence of a diesel engine option and 40 mpg fuel efficiency - an omission VW will hopefully address in the very near future.

Eric Peters writes about cars and defensive driving issues for Improv Traffic School.