Traffic Safety Program
The Sauk Valley Community College Traffic Safety program is a court-approved course intended to improve your driving skills, decrease the possibility of future traffic law violations, and reduce the chance of you or someone else being injured in a traffic accident. The Traffic Safety Program allows you to request Court Supervision to avoid having minor traffic offenses appear as a conviction on your driving record.
Eligibility
Class offerings
- Defensive Driving Course - 4 hour (DDC-4) $55
- Defensive Driving Course - 8 Hour (DDC-8) $100
- Defensive Driving Course - Online (4 Hour) $75
4-Hour Class Locations*
- Dixon (Lee County) - Sauk Valley Community College
- First and Third Wednesday of the month from 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
- Second and Fourth Saturday of the month from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
- Polo (Ogle County) - Polo Public Library
- First Saturday of the month from 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- Savanna (Carroll County) - Bridges Community Center
- Second Saturday of the month from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
- Freeport (Stephenson County) - Highland Community College
- First Saturday of the month from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
8-Hour Class offered on the 4th Saturday of the month at 8:00 am - 4:00 PM - Location: Sauk Valley Community College, Dixon, IL.
* Classes are subject to change or be canceled due to a lack of registrations. Please contact us with any questions.
Registration
You must pre-register to attend this class and seating is limited for each date. Please note that the registration fee is due at the time of registration. Registration forms are submitted to the Circuit Clerk's office.
When registering, please be prepared to provide the following information:
- Name
- Driver's license number
- Address
- Phone Number
- Email address (for registration confirmation)
Emergency Closing
If SVCC is closed or closes (cancels classes) early due to inclement weather then the Traffic Safety Program classes will be canceled.
Closure announcements are available on the svcc.edu website, Facebook and local news and radio channels.
If you have questions regarding inclement weather, please contact the Business and Community Education Department at 815-835-6294 or 815-835-6212.
Links
15th Judicial Circuit Court
Staff
Instructors
- Todd Messer
- James Nugent
- Seth Heitter
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I am eligible for the Traffic Safety Program?
- Check the front bottom of your ticket in the appearance section. It must be marked "no court appearance required.
- You may attend traffic school for only one ticket per year (a 365-day period of time). The year is measured from ticket date to ticket date.
- If you have had supervision for another ticket that was issued within 12 months of this current ticket (either by court appointment or by participating in this or any other Traffic Safety Program / school) you are NOT eligible.
- In accidents/crashes where there is personal injury and/or where two tickets were issued, even if the ticket is marked "may appear," you are still not eligible and must go to court, regardless of the fact that you were given an application from the officer.
- If you were under 18 years of age on the day your ticket was issued you must go to court with a parent or guardian to request supervision.
If you have a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) please do not apply. CDL holders are not eligible.
Applications and payment of fines and fees are handled by the county where you received your ticket, not Sauk Valley Community College. Scroll down for links to the payment page for the 5 counties that we serve.
When you receive a Traffic Ticket in a county served by Sauk Valley Community College, you have 4 options:
- Plea, Pay, and/or Apply for court supervision online at the county.
- Apply for the Traffic Safety Program by mail.
- Plead guilty by mail. Follow the directions on the traffic ticket. The violation will eventually appear on your public driving record and will be recorded by the Illinois Secretary of State.
- Plead not guilty. Follow the directions on the traffic ticket and go to court in person or have legal representation there. This may result in increased costs to you.
Follow the link below to the county where you received your ticket and make sure to follow instructions carefully. These websites are not maintained by Sauk Valley Community College. If you make the wrong selection, you will need to contact the Circuit Clerk of the county where you received your ticket for further assistance. Please note that you will still need to submit a registration form, either electronically or by mail to the Circuit Clerk, not Sauk Valley Community College:
- Carroll County: You will need to submit a registration form to the Circuit Clerk's office.
- Jo Daviess County Payment Website: You will still need to submit a registration form to the Circuit Clerk's office.
- Lee County: You will need to send the registration form to the Circuit Clerk's office.
- Ogle County: You will be prompted to fill out a registration form during the process, which you will need to send to the Circuit Clerk’s office.
- Stephenson County: You will need to send your registration form to the Circuit Clerk’s office.
Defensive Driving Course - 4 hour (DDC-4) $55
Defensive Driving Course - 8 Hour (DDC-8) $100
Defensive Driving Course - Online (4 Hour) $75
NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL’S ONLINE TRAINING STUDENT LOGIN INSTRUCTIONS
New Students - (Students who have not registered on the website, must register as a New Student.)
Go to https://safetyserve.com/saukvalley
- Click on the New Student button.
- Click on Click Here for New Student Registration
- Type in the Access Code provided in your email, or by your administrator, and click Submit.
- You will be presented with a Registration page. Type in your information, including a Login ID and a Password of your choice, and click Submit. ( Please note – you will receive a confirmation email reminding you of the Login ID you created, that you may use for access as a Returning Student.)
- On the My Courses page, click on the course title to begin your training.
Returning Students - In Progress – (Students who have not completed their course.)
Go to https://safetyserve.com/saukvalley
Click on the Returning Student button.
- Type in your Login ID and your Password, created by you during registration, and click on Login.
- On the My Courses page, click on the course title to return to your training.
After successful completion of the class, the student should be able to print their completion certificate The website will show your viewing percentage, pre-exam %, and post-exam % and will say, "Congratulations on successfully completing the National Safety Council's NSC Defensive Driving Course."
- Below that it will say, " Click here to get your certificate information."
- If you click there, your certificate should appear for you to print.
SVCC will be able to see your completion and will update your record accordingly. If the class is NOT COMPLETED within the terms of your supervision, you will not receive credit.
If you have questions, please contact The Traffic Safety Program office at 815-835-6365.
Class Locations
- Lee - Dixon - Sauk Valley Community College
- Ogle - Polo - Polo Public Library
- Carroll - Savanna - Great River Outreach
- Stephenson - Freeport - Highland Community College
- Online at safetyserve.com/saukvalleyIt will take approximately 5-6 weeks from the date of your payment to receive an access code from the Sauk Valley Community College Traffic Safety Program.
The access code and instructions for completing the class will be sent to you via US mail to the address you provided on your registration form and via email. You will need an access code to complete the Online Defensive Driver Course. Do not click this link unless you have been given an access code by Sauk Valley Community College Traffic Safety Program. Do not call for an access code unless it’s been at least a month since you’ve paid for the class.
The in-person class takes 4 hours or 8 hours depending on what you are assigned. The online class takes 4-6 hours to complete.
Please bring a photo ID and something to write with.
No, if you are late you will not be allowed into class. You will be required to contact the office at 815.835.6365 to reschedule your class.
Additional Questions?
Please contact the Traffic Safety Program office at 815.835.6365 or trafficsafety@svcc.edu.
Contact
Traffic Safety Program - Staff
815-835-6365
trafficsafety@svcc.edu