The Arizona Defensive Driving Course covers the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to drive safely and legally in Arizona. The course is organized into 8 lessons across 28 topics and meets all curriculum requirements set by the Arizona Supreme Court under ACJA § 7-205.

The first lesson addresses why most crashes are preventable, covering how driver attitude and risky choices contribute to collisions, the SIPDE defensive driving decision-making process, and the legal responsibilities and consequences of unsafe driving in Arizona including civil liability, criminal penalties, and insurance impact.

The second lesson covers Arizona-specific traffic laws including speed laws and school zone enforcement, traffic signs and signals, pavement markings, right-of-way rules and roundabout navigation, and safe passing and backing procedures.

The third lesson covers safe interaction with other road users including intersection navigation, Arizona's Move Over law and school bus stop-arm law, crosswalk and pedestrian right-of-way, and sharing the road with motorcycles, large trucks, cyclists, and wildlife.

The fourth lesson covers Arizona's DUI laws and penalties including standard, extreme, and aggravated DUI thresholds, how alcohol affects the body and why drivers misjudge their own impairment, Arizona's zero tolerance law for drivers under 21, and distracted driving laws under A.R.S. Title 28-914 including the hands-off device requirement.

The fifth lesson covers seat belt laws and crash physics, child passenger safety and restraint laws, airbag and ABS operation and limitations, and vehicle safety equipment maintenance including headlights, mirrors, and tire safety.

The sixth lesson covers how physical fitness, age, health conditions, and medications affect driving, attention and fatigue as driver safety risks, and how stress, anger, and Arizona's extreme heat affect driving decisions.

The seventh lesson covers safe following distances on Arizona highways, hazard recognition and visual scanning, blind spot awareness and checking, and collision avoidance, space management, and safe lane changes.

The eighth lesson covers driving in Arizona's desert climate including heat management, monsoon season hazards, vehicle care in extreme conditions, and how minor traffic violations can escalate into serious legal problems.

Does the course cover Arizona-specific laws? Yes. The course references Arizona statutes throughout and covers Arizona-specific rules including DUI thresholds, the hands-off device law, Move Over requirements, child restraint laws, and school zone enforcement.

Does the course cover monsoon and desert driving? Yes. Lesson 8 covers Arizona-specific environmental hazards including extreme heat, monsoon rain, flash flooding, and desert road conditions.

Is there content about DUI laws? Yes. Lesson 4 covers Arizona DUI laws in detail including BAC thresholds, penalties for standard and aggravated DUI, zero tolerance for drivers under 21, and the effects of alcohol on driving ability.

How many lessons are in the course? The course has 8 lessons covering 28 topics across a minimum of 4 hours of instructional content.

Does the course prepare me for the Arizona permit test? The course covers Arizona traffic laws and safe driving practices but is designed for licensed drivers seeking citation diversion, not for new driver licensing preparation.