Affiliate Disclosure: Automoblog and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase courses offered by the driver’s education providers outlined below. These commissions come to us at no additional cost to you. Our research team has carefully vetted dozens of driver’s education providers. See our Privacy Policy to learn more.
- IMPROV ranks number three on our list of Best Online Driver’s Ed Courses.
- Classes by IMPROV are more affordable than those of its competitors.
- Animations and comedy make IMPROV driver’s education enjoyable for many learners.
Featured Driver’s Education Providers
We reviewed the industry’s top driver’s education programs, and here are our featured picks.
There’s nothing funny about driver’s education. That is, unless you take an online driver’s ed course with IMPROV. Established in Los Angeles, California in 2009, IMPROV adds humor to the sometimes dry driver’s ed curriculum.
IMPROV takes third place on our list of the Best Online Driver’s Ed Courses. It wins our top spot for affordability.
IMPROV Pros and Cons
Pros
- More affordable than other driving schools
- Money Back Guarantee offered for every courses
- Only provider with DMV-approved driver’s ed in Kentucky
- Courses compatible with any device, including smartphones
Cons
- No behind-the-wheel training
- The jokes aren’t for everyone
- Some reviews cite technology issues during course modules
How Much Do IMPROV Courses Cost?
IMPROV courses are more affordable than their competitors. Our research shows that the average cost of an online driver’s ed course is about $50. The average cost of an IMPROV driver’s ed course is $43.68.
The price of each IMPROV driver’s ed course varies by state. At the low end of the range, Kentucky residents pay $12.50 for state-approved driver’s ed. At the high end, Wisconsin residents pay $100.50.
IMPROV’s defensive driving courses range in price from $19.95 to $55.00.
Courses Offered By IMPROV
IMPROV driver’s ed and defensive driving courses serve teens, adults, and mature drivers over the age of 55. IMPROV courses use animations, interactive games and quizzes, and even comedy to engage learners. You can watch a brief course demo on the IMPROV home page.
Online Driver’s Ed
IMPROV offers DMV-approved online driver’s ed courses in 11 states including California, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin. Courses range in length from four to 30 hours.
Texas Parent-Taught Driver’s Ed (PTDE)
IMPROV’s Texas PTDE courses offer a pre-packaged curriculum for at-home learning. With a parent’s guidance, the teen completes 32 hours of coursework and takes the permit test. After 44 hours of parent-supervised driving, teens take the driver’s test to become Texas drivers.
Online Defensive Driving
IMPROV offers the following defensive driving courses in all 50 states.
- Online defensive driving courses are used by courts and traffic enforcement agencies for ticket dismissal. Check with the court where your ticket was issued to make sure they accept IMPROV defensive driving for ticket dismissal.
- Experienced driver insurance discount courses allow drivers who are 55 and older to receive a reduced insurance rate upon completion. Check with your insurance company to make sure they accept IMPROV courses. If you are 70 or older, you may need to retake the course every few years to keep the discount.
- Fleet training courses help employers maintain a fleet of safe drivers. If your employer requires this class, you can take it 100% online with IMPROV defensive driving.
- Other IMPROV defensive driving courses may be available for your state. For example, a New York course offering includes the NY TLC/Hack license course (for taxi drivers). And Florida residents can take a Wireless Communication Device Safety course.
What to Expect From Improv Courses
The IMPROV Approach
IMPROV’s “learning with a smile” approach aims to make driver’s education both informative and enjoyable.
Each course is presented in “bite-sized modules” that can be accessed at any time from any device. IMPROV says its classes are “a little like gaming. Log in, play, and win your license.”
Registration Process
Here’s how to register for an IMPROV driver’s education course:
- From the IMPROV home page, select a state and type of driving course from the drop-down menus.
- Select the course you need and click “Let’s Get Started.”
- Set up an account. IMPROV allows you to create an account with one click by registering through Google or Facebook.
- Submit payment using Google Pay, PayPal, your Amazon account, or a credit card.
- Start learning.
- After you complete the course, IMPROV will report your completion to the DMV (or appropriate office).
Customer Support
IMPROV offers 24/7 customer support via phone call, text, or live chat.
If you’re not happy with an IMPROV course, email customer support to receive a full refund. As long as you haven’t completed the course, IMPROV will honor their Money Back Guarantee.
Course Length
IMPROV courses vary in length based on state requirements. For example, Kentucky and Florida require only four hours of driver’s ed while several states require 30 or more.
IMPROV defensive driving courses usually take between four to six hours.
Mobile Accessibility
While IMPROV does not have a mobile app, its courses are designed to be compatible with any device. Tablet and smartphone-friendly lessons allow students to learn on the go. Just don’t try to study while you’re driving.
About IMPROV
Founded: 2009
Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
Better Business Bureau (BBB) Rating: A+
IMPROV driving school has been around for more than a decade. According to its website, it serves more than 30,000 people per month.
They create effective and fun driver’s ed and defensive driving courses. And every IMPROV customer gets two free tickets to the IMPROV comedy club upon completion of the course.
IMPROV Reviews
With so many providers to choose from, selecting the best online driver’s ed experience can be challenging. To help you decide, our team combed through hundreds of online reviews.
Better Business Bureau (BBB)
BBB gives IMPROV an A+ rating. It has a 100% response rate to complaints, of which it has received only one in the past three years.
Customer Reviews
Third-party review websites can be a valuable source of unsolicited customer experiences. We evaluated IMPROV customer reviews on Yelp and Google.
IMPROV has a 3.5 Yelp rating. Out of 91 reviews, more than half are five-star reviews; about a quarter are one-star reviews. Five-star reviews praise the course design, the humor used in lessons, and the customer service. One-star reviews cite technological issues within the course or failures to reach customer service. All of the one-star reviews have a response from an IMPROV customer service representative.
IMPROV has a 4.1 rating on Google, with mostly four-and five-star reviews. Topics of satisfaction and concern echo those found in Yelp reviews. Most but not all of the Google reviews include a response from the IMPROV customer service team.
IMPROV in Review
IMPROV provides state-approved driver’s ed courses in 11 states and defensive driving courses in all 50 states. Their defensive driving courses are approved either by the state DMV or by individual courts within the state. IMPROV courses are taken by thousands of people every month.
AllI IMPROV courses are self-paced and accessible from any device. Humor, video, and interactive games make IMPROV courses enjoyable for many users.
IMPROV’s customer reviews aren’t as positive as other driver’s ed course providers we’ve researched. However, its customer service team is responsive to negative customer experiences.
It’s easy to register for IMPROV courses, and its courses are more affordable than other providers.
Frequently Asked Questions About IMPROV
Is IMPROV traffic school legit?
IMPROV is a legitimate online driver’s ed and defensive driving school. Its driver’s ed courses are approved in 11 states. Some IMPROV defensive driving courses are approved in all 50 states.
Does IMPROV traffic school send results to DMV?
Yes. IMPROV will send a certificate to the DMV the same day you complete your course.
Can I take IMPROV defensive driving in New York?
Yes. IMPROV has classes available in all 50 states, including New York. New York classes include NY Defensive Driving and the NY TLC/Hack license.
Our Methodology
With so many online driver’s ed courses available, we work hard to identify the highest quality providers. Our goal is to provide reviews that are accurate, trustworthy, and helpful to our readers.
Minimum Requirements
Using data from consumer reviews, we first identified a set of minimum requirements for each driver’s ed course provider. To be included in our ranking each provider must have:
- Self-paced, online courses
- Courses available in at least two states
- An active Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile
- Active reviews on Google, Yelp, and/or Trustpilot
- A majority of DMV-approved courses in the states in which they operate
Key Metrics
After selecting providers that meet our minimum requirements, we conducted extensive research and identified the following key metrics to rank the best online driver’s ed courses for 2023.
- Accessibility (20%): Our methodology rewards programs that are low-cost, self-paced, and approved in the majority of states where they operate. These metrics identify programs that are accessible for more people.
- Quality (30%): We take a close look at each provider’s availability and caliber of customer support as well as the number of years they’ve been in business. We reward providers who offer money back guarantees and optional behind-the-wheel courses.
- Reputation (50%): We evaluate hundreds of online reviews—on BBB, Google, Trustpilot, and Yelp—to determine a program’s standing with its current and former customers.
Image by BullRun via Adobe Stock.
