FAQs

What is Court Supervision and how does it work?

Court Supervision is an option that can keep a traffic violation from appearing as a conviction on your driving record. If you complete a Traffic Safety course within the required time frame, the court will place your driving record on hold.

Six (6) months from the date of your ticket, the court will reexamine your driving record. If no other violation appears (you have not received another ticket), the original ticket is listed on your record as “Court Supervision” and will not count against you as a conviction.

If you were to receive another traffic violation within that six (6) month period, both tickets will appear as convictions on your driving record and all fees for the Traffic Safety Program will be forfeited.

How long do I have to complete the Traffic Safety Program?

If eligible, you have four (4) months (120 days) from the date of your plea of guilty to complete a Traffic Safety course.

How do I know if I’m eligible for the Traffic Safety Program? 

If you received your ticket in Champaign, Douglas, or Piatt County, your eligibility is based on the following questions:

• Have you received any other traffic violation(s) from anywhere in the Illinois in the past twelve (12) calendar months?
• Have you participated in a Traffic Safety Program in the last four (4) years anywhere in Illinois?
• Did you receive a ticket for speeding twenty-one (21) or more miles per hour over the speed limit?
• Was your ticket marked with "Court Appearance Required"?

If you answered YES to any of the questions above, you are NOT eligible for the Traffic Safety Program in these three counties. Please contact the Parkland Traffic Safety Program with questions by calling 217/353-2104 by emailing communityeducation@parkland.edu.

I am eligible to participate in the Traffic Safety Program. What do I do now?

Complete the registration form you received via mail (or download from below) and pay your fees to the Circuit Clerk’s office in the county you were ticketed. The Circuit Clerk’s office will process your registration and payment and then forward your registration to Parkland College. Once your registration is processed by the Court, Parkland College will email you access instructions about the self-paced program.

Champaign County: Only use this form for tickets issued in Champaign County.
Douglas County: Only use this form for tickets issued in Douglas County.
Piatt County: Only use this form for tickets issued in Piatt County.

Where are classes held for the Traffic Safety Program?

In-person classes are held at Parkland College Community Education, 1315 N Mattis Ave, Champaign, IL 61821. The online program is self-paced and self-study. You can login anytime and anywhere with an internet connected device.

What if I cannot attend the class date and time I’ve been assigned?

You can reschedule your assigned class date by contacting the Traffic Safety Program office by calling 217/353-2104 or by emailing communityeducation@parkland.edu

You must reschedule 48 hours in advance to avoid rescheduling fees. If you attempt to reschedule fewer than 48 hours in advance, you will be charged a $12 rescheduling fee.

If you fail to appear at the class day and time you’ve been scheduled and fail to reschedule, you forfeit your registration fee. You will then be required to request another class to complete the Traffic Safety Program and pay your original program fee (either $49 or $85).

I received my ticket in Champaign, Douglas, or Piatt County but I don’t live near the area. Can I take my class where I live and still get credit for it?

Yes. You can take a four-hour Defensive Driving Course (DDC-4) anywhere across the country as long as the class is sponsored by the National Safety Council.

• A listing of eligible locations for Illinois is available here. TIP: Select category "defensive driving" -> class "defensive driving 4-hour."
• Listings for other states can be found at www.nsc.org/training-center-directory or via phone at 800/621-7615.

You must complete a class within 120 days of the date of your ticket. Be sure to state on your registration form that you intend to take the class at a location other than Parkland College so that the Traffic Safety Program Office does not register you for a course in Champaign.

In addition, when you complete your course at the alternate location, you will receive a certificate of completion. It is YOUR responsibility to ensure the original certificate reaches the ticketing county's Circuit Clerk’s office your deadline date. If the county does not receive your certificate, you may not receive credit for completing the program.

Keep in mind the above three counties have contracts with Parkland College which guarantees you a seat in one of the classes offered at Parkland College at no additional fee. If you choose to take the program at any location other than Parkland, you will be required to pay the applicable registration fee at the alternate location. That fee can range from $25 to $60 and will be in addition to the fees you have previously paid to the Circuit Clerk's office. Court fees are not transferable and non-refundable.

Can I take the online course sponsored by the National Safety Council?

Yes. If you received your ticket in Champaign, Douglas or Piatt County, in order to be eligible for the online program you must be at least 25 years of age at the time of your violation. Once your registration form and $69 payment is received and processed by the Circuit Clerk's office, you will receive an email from communityeducation@parkland.edu with access instructions and your program deadline.

The online course is also available in Spanish. Please contact us with questions.

El curso tambien esta disponible enlineaen Español. Si tiene alguna pregunta favor de llamar a la Officina de Traffic Safety al numero 217/353-2104.

For additional information, contact the Traffic Safety Program Office at 217/353-2104, or via email at communityeducation@parkland.edu.