NEW YORK - The New York State Department of Motor Vehicles recently certified the state's newest approved Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention Course, New York Safe Driver Program, which provides a new alternative to New York motorists who want to remove points from their driving records or obtain an insurance discount. New York-licensed drivers may complete an Accident Prevention Course as often as once every 18 months to reduce up to four accumulated points from their driving records. Completion of the course may also provide a 10-percent discount, for three years, on the base rate of a driver's automobile insurance premiums.

New York Safe Driver Program was created, designed, and produced by Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc. (TSC). With regional headquarters in New York City, the company has been one of the nation's largest providers of traffic safety education for more than 35 years. TSC has developed a variety of professionally-designed classroom and "home study" (Internet, booklet, and video-based) products and offers them to drivers nationwide.

According to Lawrence Gentilucci, TSC's director of operations, TSC's classroom lesson plans will soon be taught in locations throughout the state and encourage instructors to use humorous anecdotes, educational videos, and visual presentations to aid student retention. Participants are also provided an illustrated workbook that closely mirrors the lesson plan and is theirs to keep following the class.