Medford, OR
Road Safety Course in Medford, OR
Education for People-Centered Roadways
Medford’s roads connect a growing Southern Oregon community. Commuters navigating Interstate 5 and Crater Lake Highway. Families walking to Bear Creek Park and Hawthorne Park or Fichtner-Mainwaring Park. People biking along the Bear Creek Greenway. From bike lanes around town to the active corridors of Biddle Road and McAndrews Road, keeping everyone safe requires more than just knowing the rules.
The Oregon Friendly Driver in Medford, OR, delivers free, ODOT-funded training that goes beyond what standard driver education covers, equipping Jackson County drivers with the practical skills and awareness to protect everyone on the road.
Driving in Medford Requires More Than a License
Medford sits at the heart of the Rogue Valley and serves as Jackson County’s commercial and transportation hub. That central role means its roads carry a diverse mix of local commuters, commercial vehicles, and visitors, all alongside the growing number of people biking, walking, and rolling through the city every day.
ODOT launched the Oregon Friendly Driver program in 2017 specifically to close the gap between what standard driver education teaches and what today’s roads actually demand. With 482 traffic fatalities recorded across Oregon in 2025, many of them preventable, that gap has never been more critical to address. For Medford drivers, this training is a direct investment in the safety of everyone around you.
Medford’s Unique Road Challenges:
- New bike infrastructure on Main Street requiring driver awareness at parking lots and intersections
- Heavy traffic along Crater Lake Highway, Biddle Road, and McAndrews Road where people driving and biking converge
- Active trail-to-road transitions near the Bear Creek Greenway and Larson Creek Multi-Use Path
- Ongoing construction along Foothill Road creating shifting traffic patterns and active work zones
- High foot traffic near Medford School District schools, Bear Creek Park, and downtown Medford
Medford Drivers Who Benefit From This Course
What Makes This Course Different From Driver Education
From the protected bikeway on Main Street to the busy corridors of Crater Lake Highway, Medford’s roads demand more than what standard driver education covers. The OFD Course fills that gap with practical, locally relevant training and rewards your commitment with an official Oregon Friendly Driver certificate upon completion.
Oregon’s Vulnerable Road User Laws
Master safe passing distances when overtaking people biking, crosswalk yielding rules, and right-of-way at intersections with bike facilities throughout Medford.
Safe Passing and Turning Techniques
Learn to check blind spots before turning across bike lanes, execute safe passes, and read complex intersections where people driving, biking, and walking converge.
Awareness of Micro-Mobility Users
Build the awareness to anticipate the movements of e-scooters, e-bikes, e-skateboards, one-wheeled devices, and more on Medford’s evolving roads.
Navigating Medford’s Community Spaces
Develop the skills to drive safely near schools, parks, trail access points, and active construction zones throughout Jackson County.
Professional Development
Earn credentials applicable across many fields and potentially qualify for insurance discounts upon course completion (verify directly with your provider).
Get started
Three Ways to Take the OFD Course in Medford
Self-Paced Online Course: Connect with an OFD instructor online for a live, guided session with real-time Q&A relevant to Medford and Jackson County roads.
Live Webinar Sessions: Prefer a guided experience? Join a live instructor-led webinar with Q&A focused on real driving scenarios in Medford.
In-Person Group Training: Learn alongside others in a live, instructor-led session covering Medford-specific driving scenarios and Oregon road laws.
Get in touch with us
Free Training for Every Oregon Driver
Frequently Asked Questions
Think of the OFD Course as the training that comes after driver education. It covers the gaps that standard courses leave behind, equipping Medford drivers with the practical knowledge needed to navigate Jackson County’s roads alongside people biking, walking, and rolling.
This course is completely free, with no hidden fees. ODOT funds the OFD Course specifically to remove financial barriers and make road safety education accessible to every driver in Jackson County and across Oregon.
The online course runs approximately 75 minutes and works around your schedule. You can pause and pick up anytime. In-person sessions and live webinars for Medford groups typically run between 60 and 90 minutes.
Yes. Every driver who completes the OFD Course receives a downloadable digital certificate that can be shared with employers or insurance providers right here in Medford and across Jackson County.
Make Medford's Roads Safer, Starting With You
The student biking to Medford High School. The family crossing near Bear Creek Greenway. The senior navigating downtown Main Street. Every one of them is counting on Medford drivers to show up informed and aware. The free OFD Course makes sure you do, no matter your age, experience, or reason for being on the road.
Ready to get started? Enroll in the OFD course online today for instant access to self-paced training, or reach out to schedule a live webinar, in-person session, or group training for your Medford organization.
Oregon Friendly Driver is funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation and administered by Commute Options.