Delaware regulators have changed rules regarding defensive driving programs, strengthening oversight for providers and offering discounts to drivers.

On Jan. 1, changes to the state’s Regulation 607 put in place more stringent requirements for course instructor certifications and verification of course completion and notifications. Online course providers are required to permit department personnel to review course data from time to time, the new rule states, and make necessary changes or face “the possibility of administrative penalties, suspension, and/or revocation of their course certifications,” according to the department.

Karen Weldin Stewart

In a bulletin issued in January, Delaware Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart said the changes are not only intended to streamline the procedure for drivers to receive certificates indicating completion of the courses, but also to make sure those who take the courses are the some ones eligible for premium discounts and a three-point driving record credit.

Weldin Stewart also announced that as of Jan. 1, state residents will receive a 10% discount on liability and personal injury protection (PIP) premiums for their auto insurance upon completion of any number of certified defensive driving courses. The courses are offered by numerous providers both in a classroom setting and online, her department said.

The 10% minimum discount is good for three years, at which time drivers who successfully complete a refresher course will see a discount to 15% for the next three years, according to the Delaware Department of Insurance.

“In these difficult times, there is no reason any Delaware driver should not take one of these inexpensive courses when the benefit is a significant decrease in their insurance premiums,” Weldin Stewart said in a statement. “A greater benefit is that the defensive driving techniques learned and the invaluable information on the rules of the road could help avoid a collision that often results in insurance claims, bodily injury or worse.”

The regulation change also adds motor homes to the list of eligible motor vehicles, joining private passenger cars, trucks and motorcycles.