The most important job of any driver is safety, yet the majority of all motor vehicle crashes are caused by improper driving. Defensive driving courses help keep your employees and volunteers safer on the road and reduce your liability costs.
You must have a current Business Auto policy with NIA. If you are not sure whether you have this coverage, contact your insurance broker directly or contact NIA Member Services.
Online Training
Passenger Cars/Standard Vans
A 2.5-hour online course intended for drivers of passenger cars and standard-size passenger vans.
Providing a comprehensive and engaging learning experience, this National Safety Council (NSC) course reflects the latest safe driving topics such as cell phone and texting usage, fatigue, safety belts and child safety systems, ABS, road rage, and technologies that affect vehicle performance. Training is available in both English and Spanish.
Commercial Vans
A two-hour online course intended for drivers of vans that carry 10 or more passengers (including the driver), or a larger cargo van.
Many organizations assume that driving a van is no different than driving a personal car, and they expect their employees (or volunteers) to take on van driving responsibilities without any training. The fact is that most commercial vans are very different than passenger cars. They are bigger, heavier, have larger blind spots, and require longer following and stopping distances. Training drivers to compensate for these differences can help keep them safe, both on the road and on the job.
Straight Trucks
A two-hour online course for drivers of straight trucks, also known as delivery and box trucks.
The design of these vehicles creates special difficulties. Drivers often don’t realize that they have large blind spots which can lead to backing collisions. The width of these trucks makes side-swiping common and frequent rear-end crashes occur because drivers don’t allow for the straight truck’s weight and long stopping distances.
Self-Study Training
Passenger Cars/Standard Vans
Based on the National Safety Council (NSC) defensive driving program, this training option includes a self-guided USB presentation and a 48-page, full-color study guide that features helpful information including crash scenarios, comprehensive diagrams and session objectives. The materials can be used in a traditional self-study manner, or in a group setting. The approximate time for course completion is two hours.
At the end of the course, participants are evaluated by a multiple-choice test graded by the nonprofit using the provided grading template. Certificates are issued to students achieving a passing score of 70% or better.
NIA Members Receive the Following:
- Free training for all eligible NIA members
How to Access this Resource
To get started with this resource, complete the form at the bottom of this page. NIA will verify your eligibility and send you information on how to request training for your staff and/or volunteers.
If you have questions or need additional information, contact NIA Member Services at 800-359-6422, ext. 5001, or RMS@insurancefornonprofits.org.