Virginia Defensive Driving Course A Defensive Driving Course in Virginia is more commonly called a Driver Improvement Clinic. The Clinic is a program that the State highly recommends every Virginia-licensed driver take for two reasons. One, successfully completing a Driver Improvement Clinic grants you a well-deserved rate reduction on your auto insurance policy. And two, it also gains you safe driving points that offset demerit points, thus, helping you maintain a pristine driving record. Driver Improvement Clinics are available as instructor-led workshops and as computer-based lessons. If you're under 20 years old, you are required to attend the course in a classroom. You are not eligible to take the course online.