Will County Bar Association offers online traffic school

A Will County Bar Association traffic safety program for ticketed drivers and those learning to drive is being offered entirely online.

At the request of Will County Chief Judge Richard Schoenstedt, the Will County Bar Association has begun the operation of a traffic safety program, according to news release from the bar association.

The program is available online at willcountytrafficschool.com, which WCBA officials said is "especially important" considering the COVID-19 pandemic has required social distancing guidelines.

“A student who used to take a day off work or plan their weekend around travel and attendance at a four-hour, packed-classroom event can now complete the class over a period of a few lunch breaks or evenings,” said Bob Bodach, WCBA vice president.

When appropriate, the course will be offered in a classroom setting for those students without access to the internet, WCBA officials said.

Schoenstedt and Will County Circuit Clerk Andrea Lynn Chasten approached the WCBA and asked them to participate in an upgrade of a traffic safety program in an effort to ease the burden of ticketed drivers and reduce congestion in the courthouse, WCBA officials said.

A committee comprised of WCBA President Don DeWilkins, Bodach, WCBA Director Jake Gancarczyk and volunteer Tracy Bodach spent the past year developing the WCBA Traffic Safety Program and its learning management system.

According to Illinois law and local court rules, an eligible driver who receives a minor traffic ticket in Will County may request court supervision without going to court if they agree to participate in the traffic safety program, WCBA officials said.

“At willcountytrafficschool.com, drivers can easily and efficiently register and complete the authorized defensive driving course. After successful completion of the course, the WCBA Traffic Safety Program will electronically send data to the Will County Circuit Clerk for update to the court records,” WCBA officials said.

DeWilkins said the WCBA is “excited to offer this benefit to Will County drivers.”