Online traffic schools make a joke of violator retraining

Are you a naughty driver? In many states, early offenses will sometimes be forgiven if you complete a session at traffic school. But the time! The nuisance! For drivers in some states, however, an alternative has become popular- the online traffic school. That's right- you (or, dare I suggest it, someone willing to pretend to be you) can complete a course from the comfort of your keyboard. Does something about this smell wrong (and I don't mean burning rubber)?

Completion of an online course satisfies some states such as California, Texas, Florida , Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, Missouri, Alaska, Virginia, Delaware, and others, as well as certain courts in other states. Costs vary from state to state; the NDSS school, for example, charges $14.95 for Florida drivers, $60 from North Carolinians. The NC course requires the miscreant to spend "8 entertaining, self-scheduled hours completing 12 chapters" with "media-rich features like graphics, animations, video clips and audio tracks." The Florida course is only 4 hours long for first-timers. (I hope the print is very large!) A few states require you to actually show up at the BMV and prove your identity before they will accept the credit; most don't.