Florida is known as the land of sun and surf. Thanks to efforts by the state to make the roads a safer place it is now known as the state with the most significant drop in traffic fatalities this past year (down 115) after California (down 375.)

Unfortunately, though traffic fatalities as a whole were down in 2010, the number of pedestrians hit by cars has markedly risen. The number of pedestrians injured by a motor vehicle rose nearly 20 percent, and the number killed after being struck rose five percent.

This improvement has come only after a concerted effort by lawmakers and law enforcement officers to force people to pay closer attention when they get behind the wheel of their automobile. Defensive driving is on the rise in the Sunshine State because the penalties for not doing so (besides dying in a horrible car crash) are enormous.

Even during the recession, Florida remained the top travel destination in the world, hosting more than 70 million visitors a year, many of which traveled there by car, either for a week or a weekend getaway. This means the roads are often congested, especially in urban areas like Miami and Orlando, and drivers are often confused about where they are and where they going.

A traffic school course is not simply a good idea in Florida, i might just save your life.

Defensive driving is one of those skills you have and hope you never have to rely upon to make it home alive. You get behind the wheel of your car and cruise to your destination confident you know and follow all the rules of the road, therefore increasing the chances of avoiding a crash. It is your best defense against all those other drivers who are texting, talking, fiddling with the radio, driving at excessive speed and generally not paying attention when they get behind the wheel.