Minnesota Safety Course Offers Alternative to Traffic Ticket

More than 4,000 motorists stopped for minor traffic offenses in Wabasha County, Minn. have avoided a citation by taking a driver safety course.

The county is among a number of other Minnesota counties offering the classes as an alternative to a ticket and a hike in their insurance rates. Police officers have the discretion to offer the class to drivers stopped for speeding, missing a stop sign or other minor offense.

Winona Daily News reported the classes have drawn the attention of the state auditor who has questioned whether counties should be allowed to keep the money the drivers pay for the classes. The revenue from a ticket would otherwise go to the state.

Since Wabasha County started the classes in 2003, it’s collected $400,000 in revenue.