Laff'n Learn Defensive Driving

What if traffic school classes could actually be fun? Wouldn’t students learn more? In 1989 it was with that idea Gary Alexander, one of the pioneers of the Comedy Traffic School movement, approached Budd Friedman, founder of the famed Improv Comedy Club. Soon, the Improv Comedy Traffic School was born.

The success of this idea allowed Improv Defensive Driving to expand its comedy traffic safety courses almost overnight to many more states. Improv Traffic Schools were opened in California, Arizona, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, Texas and more. Then, like with other successful ideas, dozens of imitators have followed. Don’t be fooled by courses like Laff'n Learn Defensive Driving Laff for Less and others. There is only one original Improv Laff'n Learn Defensive Driving school.

In 1985, the classic comedy film "Moving Violations" brought screams of laughter to audiences as slap-happy and unassuming Dana Cannon (John Murray) and a supporting cast of oddball characters joked their way through traffic school. Though the corrupt instructor was out to make sure Cannon and friends failed, the group ended up trumping all odds to regain driving capabilities. Though the movie wasn't about a comedy traffic school, it did set the stage for the future of traffic safety driving courses and traffic education. People began to wonder: Could driving education be fun?

Over 20 years ago, one of the bastions of comedy launched a major comedy traffic school. The curriculum is written by pro writers from Hollywood and is available through local courses or online training. The curriculum has won media awards over the years; the Improve Comedy Club claims its lessons, which are written at a 5th grade reading level to be accessible for all, have held up under study. Traffic safety reviews indicate that the lessons have a positive impact on future driving by reducing tickets and collisions for participants.

Defensive driving and traffic schools have spread across the U.S. In 2002, Comedy Driving began offering courses in Houston and other Texas cities. The company set up affiliate locations in the years after it opened and began offering Spanish comedy driving classes in 2006. In 2008, Comedy Driving opened an online course, which has been highly successful. However, the company is only the second largest comedy driving class in Texas.

Other states where comedy traffic school offerings can be found include, but aren't limited to, Arizona and Florida. In 2007, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles approved a home booklet course for individuals who want to avoid physical traffic school. The booklet was called "Funny in Florida" and took up the comedy driving education theme. Traffic Safety Consultants, Inc. is the company that offered the book; the company also offers an internet and classroom driving course under the same "Funny in Florida" name and theme.

The operations director of Traffic Safety Consultants said that the company believed getting a person's attention was essential to communication. They wanted to get student's attention and present information in a way that made it easy to retain. Like the Improv Comedy Club and many other driving education providers, TSC found that comedy was the best way to do this.