By Colby Horton
Shop Site of the Month
Autocraft of Torrance - Torrance, Calif.
www.autocrafttorrance.com
Professional, interactive graphics make this site appealing to visit. A comprehensive list of shop certifications, insurance companies and service menu also makes this site informative. Shop history and warranty information completes this high-quality site.
Web Wise
Online Traffic Schools Gaining Momentum
It's almost inevitable. You're speeding along the highway, late for an important appointment. You look into your rearview mirror to find flashing red and blue lights. You pull over and find yourself stuck with a speeding ticket and a sturdy fine. You have a couple of choices to get the ticket dismissed. In the past, one of those options was sitting through a lengthy defensive driving class. But now, in a growing number of states including Texas, Virginia and Florida, drivers can take an online traffic course in order to dismiss unwanted tickets.
For $20 to $50 and a few computer-ridden hours, motorists can avoid a traffic fine and clear their driving record. About a dozen states allow drivers to take online defensive driving courses. Some states allow county courts to decide whether or not to permit online traffic schools. In California, for instance, online classes are allowed in San Diego County, but are banned in Orange County, just one county north.
Web traffic schools began to emerge about five years ago. Most courses offer interactive graphics and streaming video that shows specific traffic situations. Students are then asked to complete a final exam consisting of 20 to 50 multiple choice questions randomly chosen from a pool. Many of the online traffic schools in existence offer free technical support online or through an 800 number.
Critics debate the validity of online traffic schools, citing that there is no way of making sure that the person who received the ticket is actually taking the course and subsequent final exam. However, Web schools use a variety of strategies to prevent fraud. Some require students to take the final exam in public libraries. Others ask for specific identification such as birth date, the last school the student attended, or the last credit card or check used. Through database technology and credit bureaus, the schools can then verify proper identification. IDriveSafely.com actually uses biometric keystroke analysis, which basically measures a student's typing speed and rhythm and verifies whether these traits remain constant throughout the course. In Texas, students are required to agree to a security policy, which, if violated, could provoke a 10-year prison term and a $10,000 fine.
Computer-based training is becoming more popular. Look for online traffic schools to gain even more momentum in the next year or so.
Net Numbers
Nearly 29 million people bought gifts online during the 2001 holiday shopping season. The average amount spent online was $392 per person, up from an average of $330 spent by approximately 20 million shoppers the previous year.
Pew Internet & American Life Project
ASA Web Ways
Renew Your Dues Online
The Automotive Service Association now offers a convenient way for members to renew their dues. Current ASA national members can renew their dues online through the ASA Web site (www.asashop.org). Using a secure Web site, members can fill out a simple form that will renew their dues for another year, allowing instant renewal 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In addition, prospective members can join the association online, making recruiting new ASA members simple and convenient. Visit the "Membership Info" section of the ASA Web site.
