Traffic Safety (GD, MO, FY, TS)

Director: Danika Woods

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Resources

• WisDOT Traffic Safety Contact: Shawn Cuevas, Unit Supervisor
• WTCS Traffic Safety Education Contact: Danika Woods, Director
• WTCS Traffic Safety Course Fees Memorandum (landing page – scroll down to document links)
• Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) Traffic Safety Course Webpage
• Wisconsin Legislature: Chapter Trans 106 – Certification of Traffic Safety Programs and Instructors
• Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) Intoxicated Driver Program Webpage
• Wisconsin Traffic Safety School Advisory Council  (WTSAC) Contacts:
  • Robin Rupp, Council Chair
  • Danika Woods, WTCS Board Representative
• WTCS Traffic Safety Programs Teams Group
  • Access to this Team must be requested; access limited to current WTCS Traffic Safety Program coordinators, administrators, faculty and support staff at WTCS colleges. Team Administrator: Danika Woods

Overview

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) and the Wisconsin Technical College System Board (WTCS) administer traffic safety courses that enable drivers to reduce demerit points assessed against their driving privilege. These courses serve members of the general public who already have a driver’s license, have received a traffic violation such as operating while intoxicated (OWI), failure-to-yield, etc., and may have been ordered to attend such a course by an approved* assessment facility as part of a driver safety plan post-assessment.

*Further information is located on the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) website for the state’s Intoxicated Driver Program, which assesses and treats people who have been convicted of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs, including alcohol, cannabis, methamphetamines, opioids, and prescription medications.

Agency Roles and Responsibilities

Governance

WisDOT is the authority for Wisconsin traffic safety programs, including:

• Interpretation and policy guidance regarding Trans 106.
• Approval of WTCS traffic safety programs.
• Certification of WTCS traffic safety instructors to teach traffic safety courses.
• Approval of aligned curriculum for WTCS traffic safety programs.

Implementation and Course Delivery

WTCS is the only named provider in Trans 106 of traffic safety courses in the state. Each WTCS district may have one TS program. WTCS assists with traffic program administration at WTCS colleges.

Advisory Functions

The Wisconsin Traffic Safety School Advisory Council (WTSAC) is advisory to WisDOT and is comprised of representatives from WisDOT, WTCS, WTCS college traffic safety coordinators and administrators, Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and various other external agencies. WTSAC makes recommendations regarding uniform standards and guidelines for initiating and maintaining statewide traffic safety school programs, and promotes interagency relations concerning the education and rehabilitation of persons who have driven while intoxicated or have demonstrated other unsafe driving practices (see Trans 106.12 Advisory Council).

• Council Leadership: WTSAC reports to WisDOT and is led by a Council Chair elected from its member pool of WTCS traffic safety coordinators.
• Convenings:
  • WTSAC Meetings: must convene at least once annually (face-to-face, hybrid and/or virtual format), with meeting minutes recorded and any formal recommendations indicated in a vote of Council members. Minutes and vote results must be emailed to WisDOT.

Note: WTSAC may choose to host on the same day dual meetings of 1) WTSAC members conducting official business AND 2) WTCS Traffic Safety Coordinators Group members discussing college-specific topics. Meetings must be clearly delineated and WTSAC business formalized via the aforementioned methods.

• • WTCS Traffic Safety Coordinators (TSC) Group: Collaborative committee of peers comprised of WTCS faculty, staff and administrators who oversee traffic safety courses at their respective colleges. Group is supported as needed by the WTSAC Chair and the WTCS Director of Transportation. Group may convene at will and as needed, independently of or in collaboration with the WTCS Director. No formal meeting minutes are required for TSC group convenings.

Traffic Safety Course Teaching Requirements: WTCS traffic safety instructors must become authorized and attain certification to teach by WisDOT. Additionally, all WTCS instructors must meet System-wide Faculty Quality Assurance System (FQAS) teacher certification requirements.

Traffic safety courses include:

• Traffic Safety: This points-reduction course reviews basic safe defensive driving concepts and may be attended by anyone.
• Group Dynamics: This course is generally for drivers who have been convicted of a first-time operating while intoxicated (OWI) charge.
• Multiple Offender: This course is generally for drivers who have been convicted of a second OWI charge.

Traffic Safety Course Enrollment

To enroll in a traffic safety course, contact the technical college in your area (information provided below). A map of all Wisconsin technical colleges, including branch campuses, is located on the public-facing wtcsystem.edu website. Courses will all have a catalog number in the XX-818-XXX or XX-812-XXX format.

Traffic Safety Course Expectations

• Registration:  Participants must register and pay course fee within 3 business days of alcohol assessment to remain in compliance with driving privileges.
• Attendance:  Participants must attend all course hours.
• Abstinence during the course: Abstaining from alcoholic beverages and other drugs, with the exception of prescription drugs, is strongly recommended during the course.
• Sobriety in class:  Anyone who uses alcohol/drugs prior to the class meeting will not be allowed to participate. That individual will be referred back to the assessment agency for further evaluation.

Convictions that require successful completion of a Traffic Safety course:

• Assessment agencies refer convicted drivers of an OWI who are ordered to take Group Dynamics or Multiple Offender Program to the providing school or agency in their area.
• Drivers who take a traffic safety course may elect to have their demerit points reduced by three after successful completion of the course.
  • If you are already suspended for accumulating too many points, and your point total is 12, 13 or 14 points, your suspension may be released.
  • Drivers may only have their points reduced once every three years.
  • The student has 30 days from completion of the course to notify WisDOT of any change in their request for point reduction.
• Classes are held during the day, evenings and weekends in most areas in an attempt to allow students to complete the classes in a timely manner.

Warning letters

If you accumulate six or more demerit points within a 12-month period, you will receive a warning letter from the DMV.

Driver’s License Demerit Points Reduction

Per Wisconsin Statute Trans 101.7 reduction of point value for attendance at driver improvement counseling, traffic safety school or defensive driving courses: