If you’ve searched for “RADEP online course Virginia,” you might have already heard a lot of contradictory information. Some people call it the “aggressive reckless driving course Virginia,” whereas others simply refer to it as a normal Virginia driving class. Some say it’s a combination of two courses: 8-hour and a 4-hour. Some say it’s just a single 12-hour class. One driving school may require it to be completed in person, while another may offer it online. If you’re confused, you’re not alone! In this blog, we’ll try to demystify the 12 Hour Reckless and Aggressive Driver Education Program (RADEP) by explaining its origins. You’ll walk away with all your questions answered.

How RADEP Started

In 1995, the Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program (VASAP) created the course. Why? There was an increase in reckless and aggressive driving tickets, and VASAP believed that the standard 8 Hour Driver Improvement Clinic wasn’t addressing the core issues of these types of offenses. Therefore, the course aimed to minimize dangerous behaviors associated with these types of tickets by focusing on the psychology of reckless and aggressive drivers.

Format and Accessibility

VASAP created the course with a few specific characteristics: 

• It was to be taken in person
• It was to be completed in one 12 hour session
• It was limited to a couple of times a month in Richmond, VA

These characteristics were initially acceptable, but they became cumbersome as more courts began requiring RADEP.

Initial Challenges for Virginians

As more Virginia residents needed the course, fewer and fewer seats were available at VASAP. Additionally, many people had to drive several hours to attend because the only location was in Richmond, VA. As a result, people began calling private driving schools, such as Colonial Driving School, to see if they could take the course with them. Each driving school had to politely decline because VASAP kept its curriculum secret. 

Eventually, Greg Blair solved the problem.

Greg Blair Answered the Request for "RADEP Class Near Me!"

By 2018, driving schools across the state were getting urgent requests for RADEP. People were saying, “I have court on Monday, and I haven’t been able to get a seat in VASAP for months! Where can I find a RADEP class near me?”

Greg Blair of Be Better Driving School in Richmond proposed an idea. Instead of forcing VASAP to provide its curriculum, he decided to find a solution that would satisfy the courts. The answer? The National Safety Council. 

The National Safety Council’s Curriculum

Blair developed a unique RADEP course using curriculum directly from the National Safety Council, a nationally recognized producer of driving school curriculum. Two curricula were needed:

• 8-hour Driver Improvement Clinic
  A standard curriculum for a Virginia driving class. The core content focused on defensive driving.
  
  
• 4-hour Reckless and Aggressive Driving Course
  Focused on the psychology behind reckless and aggressive behavior
  

Combined, these two courses totaled 12 hours, which was the same time length and subject matter as VASAP’s 12 hour RADEP course.

Greg Blair’s Acceptance Initiative

Because Greg’s workaround wasn’t VASAP’s official RADEP program, he systematically contacted every court in Virginia, communicated the need for a substitute, and explained why his proposed curriculum should be accepted. He successfully convinced the courts, which led to the 8-hour and 4-hour versions of RADEP, even though RADEP was initially a 12-hour course. That’s exactly why you hear some people refer to it as the 12-hour course and some people refer to it as two separate courses.

Why the RADEP Class Online Became Necessary

Like many things, RADEP became widely accepted online due to COVID-19.

COVID-19 Lasting Impact

When COVID-19 began shutting down in-person activities and locations, driving schools were no exception. However, people were still receiving tickets (albeit fewer). As a result, courts became more lenient with online courses, even RADEP. 

The judicial system is built on precedent, so when courts began accepting online certificates, it became difficult to reinstate in-person course requirements. 

That, plus the courts' continued demand for RADEP, even for Virginia citizens in remote counties without a driving school that offers the program, has helped maintain the online version's legitimacy. 

Expansion of Online Curriculum Providers

As more schools sought to offer online options, DMV-approved driving school curriculum providers, such as Axis Driving Curriculum, developed courses. Courts and judges across Virginia accept these providers’ certificates.

Do You Need a RADEP Class Online?

Have you searched Google for “online driving school virginia” or “online driving class va”? Has a judge ordered you to complete a 12 Hour Driving Course VA? If so, www.OnlineRADEP.com is the right place for you. 

We offer a court-recognized 12 Hour and 4 Hour course. You can log in and out as many times as needed, and the certificate of completion is automatically emailed directly to you after you finish the course. It couldn’t be easier to finish your course online! 

If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at (804) 596-6276.