What Does the Missouri Driver Improvement Program (DIP) Cover?
The Missouri Driver Improvement Program covers 6 required topic areas based on the National Safety Council DDC-8 curriculum. The course is designed to improve your awareness of risk on the road and reduce unsafe driving behaviors.
Lesson 1 — Introduction
Risk and Risk Management
This lesson introduces the core concept of the course: how drivers create and respond to risk on the road. You will learn how to identify risk factors and apply strategies to manage them while driving.
Lesson 2 — Preparing to Drive
Physical and Mental Fitness to Drive
This lesson covers the conditions that affect your ability to drive safely before you get behind the wheel, including:
Age-related changes to driving ability
Mobility limitations
Vision and hearing
Illness and medication effects
Emotional and mental state
Conditions beyond your control, such as weather and road hazards
Lesson 3 — Distracted and Impaired Driving
Recognizing and Avoiding Impairment
This lesson covers the major causes of impaired and distracted driving:
Alcohol and drug impairment
Distracted driving, including cell phone use
Fatigued and drowsy driving
Aggressive driving and road rage
Lesson 4 — Successful Driving
The Six Most Dangerous Unsafe Behaviors
This lesson focuses on the six unsafe driving behaviors most commonly linked to crashes and traffic violations:
Improper speed
Violating right of way
Driving left of center
Turning improperly
Passing improperly
Following too closely
Lesson 5 — Collision Prevention
Speed and Space Management
This lesson covers defensive driving techniques for managing your speed and the space around your vehicle:
Speed management
Space to the front
Space to the sides
Space to the rear
Lesson 6 — Driving for Life
Long-Term Safe Driving and the Final Exam
This lesson covers habits and attitudes for lifelong safe driving:
Important principles for ongoing safe driving
Transporting passengers safely
The final course exam (50 questions, 80% passing score)
Quick Facts
Detail | Information |
Number of lessons | 6 |
Curriculum standard | National Safety Council DDC-8 |
Final exam location | Lesson 6 |
Topics covered | Risk management, impaired driving, unsafe behaviors, collision prevention |
Minimum course length | 8 hours |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the course content specific to Missouri driving laws? The course is based on the National Safety Council DDC-8 curriculum, which covers defensive driving principles applicable across the United States. Missouri-specific laws and regulations are incorporated where relevant.
Does the course include videos? The course includes written content, images, and interactive elements. Refer to the course itself for specific media used in each lesson.
Do I need to memorize everything for the final exam? The final exam is open book — you may refer to course material during the exam. The exam draws from the same question pool used in the lesson quizzes. Reviewing the quiz questions after each lesson is the best preparation.
How long does each lesson take? The total minimum course time is 8 hours across all 6 lessons. Individual lesson lengths vary. You do not need to complete any lesson in one session.