Texas Driver Safety and Training

Driving a vehicle is a huge responsibility. It is a serious activity that requires focus, skills, and a responsible mind behind the wheel. Brushing up on the rules of the road is as simple as always considering safety first.

When driving your car it is all about keeping the roads safe for you and for other motorists. Here are a few key things to remember when driving:

• Prepare yourself and prep your vehicle. Make sure your vehicle is in proper working condition, and put yourself in the right attitude towards driving: SAFETY. Just before you put the key into the ignition, remember to buckle up with a safety belt, and every time you start the ignition, remember stay calm and be courteous.
• Follow the speed limit and signs. Every driver, before getting their learner's permit is tested on these, but for many drivers if they had to take their Road Rules and Road Signs test again may fail. Test your knowledge on a free practice test to know if you need to brush up on the Road Rules and Signs again.
• Learn how to safely overtake a vehicle or truck. This maneuver is potentially the most dangers move to make in your vehicle. Here is a short video with a great description on how to safely pass another vehicle or truck.
• Eliminate distractions. Make a playlist for your music, eat and text/call your friends ALL BEFORE driving. It's important to remember that driving is about focusing on the road while operating a vehicle. Having other people in the vehicle can already be considered distracted driving. Lessen interaction with other people in the car when driving.
• Be alert. Before you leave the house, check the news for weather/traffic conditions. Be prepared, and make sure you know how to handle situations like slippery roads, or heavy rains in the streets.

If you really wanted to refresh your memory on driving you can complete a defensive driving course online. Remember: when a driver doesn't put safety first, they pay more for it in the end. Stay calm, be courteous and always be alert.

Labels: defensive driving, distracted driving, driver safety, free practice test, vehicle safety

Halloween can be a fun time for all --- people who stay at home will get cute monsters knocking at the door, while trick-or-treaters rack up buckets and buckets of sweets, to be consumed and be tired of by the end of the week.

Obviously, the trick-or-treat tradition happens in the evening, and thinking about children crossing streets at night may be too much for some parents. Here are a couple of tips for both people who will be driving around during Halloween and for trick-or-treaters.

For parents of trick-or-treaters:

• Be part of the planning process --- map out routes and the time the children should be expected at home.


• Make sure that children under 12 are accompanied by a parent, an older youth, or an adult.
  
• Things a trick-or-treater should bring: a mobile phone, flashlight, something to identify the child with address, should he/she get separated from the group.
  
• Tell children to only approach houses with lights on them.
  
• Stick a piece of reflective tape or iron-on reflective fabric on prominent places of the children's costume, to make them easily visible in the dark.
  
• Make sure that children can see well, even through their costume. If they can, opt for decorative makeup instead of masks that may hinder vision.
  
• Review traffic safety and pedestrian safety precautions.
  

For drivers on Halloween:

• Sure there'll be parties --- have a designated driver! One that doesn't get startled by monsters walking about in the streets.


• For most residential neighborhoods, the speed limit is 25 mph, it would be better to drive slower than this.


• There's no predicting what sugar-driven children will do, be extra careful as children may cross the streets without warning.


• Obey all traffic signs, signals and markings.


• When driving trick-or-treaters, remember to have them sit on child-appropriate safety seats.

Halloween is always a fun part of the year for kids, and as responsible adults, it’s up to us to see that safety is always involved.

Labels: defensive driving, driver safety

While getting a speeding ticket in Texas is never a happy occasion, drivers can mitigate the effects of the speeding ticket by taking a defensive driving course. In addition to not having points added to the violator's driving record and avoiding an auto insurance increase, drivers can use the course to refresh their driving skills and evaluate their current driving behavior. Here are the steps to follow to have your Texas speeding ticket dismissed and reap all the benefits of a defensive driving course:


Step One: Check your speeding ticket for your court date. You must ask the court for permission to take a defensive driving course for ticket dismissal, in person or via US mail, but the appearance date indicated on your ticket. You must submit a completed copy of the Affidavit form with your signature notarized, proof of valid non-commercial Texas driver's license, the court administrative fee, and a copy of your insurance policy when requesting permission to take the defensive driving course for speeding ticket dismissal.

Step Two: Once the court grants permission for you to take the course, you'll have 90 days to complete the course and submit your certificate of completion to the court. Conveniently, the Texas ticket dismissal course is offered online. So your next step is to register for and take the Texas defensive driving course. If you take the course online, you don't have to take it all at once; you can log in and out of the course as many times as necessary. Your place in the course will be saved so the next time you log in, you can just pick up where you left off in the previous session.

Step Three: After you complete the speeding ticket course, the school will issue a certificate of completion. The certificate will be sent to you for you to submit to the court; by Texas law, the school can't do that for you. You may need to send a copy of your driving record to the court with your certificate; check with the county that has jurisdiction over the speeding ticket to be sure. If a copy of your driving record is required and you don't send it, the speeding ticket dismissal process could be delayed. Be sure to submit the certificate by the deadline imposed by the court.

Tips for a Clean Driving Record in Texas

In the state of Texas, you may to take a defensive driving course once every 12 months to dismiss a traffic ticket. The points you receive for a speeding ticket will remain on your Texas driving record for a period of three years; however, you can avoid having the points assessed if you take a defensive driving course. Even if you haven't received a ticket, you can take a defensive driving course to have points removed from your Texas driver's license and to receive insurance discounts.

Are you eligible for a Defensive Driving Course?

Be sure to meet all deadlines imposed by the court; failure to do so could affect the status of your driver's license.

If you have a Commercial Driver's License (CDL), you may not take a defensive driving course for ticket dismissal.

You are not eligible for the traffic ticket dismissal course if your citation was for driving 25 mph or more above the posted speed limit.

Labels: defensive driving, dismiss traffic ticket, driving safety, online defensive driving, texas driver record, texas traffic ticket

In Texas, drivers who receive a traffic ticket may be able to have the ticket dismissed and keep their auto insurance rates from increasing when they take an online defensive driving course. Texas drivers who haven't received a ticket may qualify for an insurance discount. As an added benefit, all drivers who take a defensive driving course will learn a variety of driver safety techniques.

An online defensive driving course is helpful to drivers at all levels of experience; young drivers benefit from receiving training that reinforces the lessons they received before becoming licensed, and drivers with years of experience benefit from receiving a refresher on driver safety techniques.

Young drivers learn a considerable amount of theory in driver education courses, and are often too excited and overwhelmed to put this theory into practice when they begin behind-the-wheel training. A traffic ticket is an early warning sign that the young driver has not assimilated theoretical safe driving concepts into their driving practice, is succumbing to peer or internal pressure and using risky driving behaviors, has not received enough behind-the-wheel training, or all of the above. More driver education could help a young driver avoid a motor vehicle crash and its possible tragic consequences.

Drivers who have years of experience behind the wheel have often become complacent in their driving habits. The driving environment may have undergone changes (such as increased traffic congestion) since they learned to drive, but few drivers stop to consider whether changes in their driving behavior are needed. Drivers who are parents can learn better driving habits so they can serve as better driving examples for their children. Some techniques, such as following distance, have been updated since more mature drivers on the road received driver training; defensive driving courses also include updates on legislative changes that affect drivers. Also, mature drivers have to contend with new distractions, such as cellular phones and in-vehicle navigation systems, whether they are being used by themselves or other drivers.

Some drivers are hesitant to take a course online, especially if they have limited computer experience. But these courses are easy for anyone to use and can be taken in the safety and comfort of the driver's home. Online courses offer convenience, ease of use, and flexibility, along with an opportunity to improve driving skills, which helps keep all road users safer.

Labels: defensive driving, driving habits, driving safety, online defensive driving, texas driving laws, texas traffic ticket

Recent research indicates that through the combined efforts of lawmakers, law enforcement, and individual road users, Texas roads are getting safer. According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the fatality rate on Texas roadways in 2008 was 1.41 deaths per hundred million vehicle miles traveled, a 1.40% decrease from 2007.

But there is still much work to be done: 3,468 people died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008, seven more than in 2007. Though the increase is small, it reverses a downward trend that had been occurring since 2003.

Funding for roadway improvements helps make Texas highways safer for all users. In 2009, the Texas Transportation Commission approved $600 million in funding for the 2009 Safety Bond Program that provided for 355 improvement projects over 900 miles of highway, including:

• Widening narrow two-lane roads
  
• Adding left turn lanes and continuous left turn lanes to lower the incidence of rear-end collisions
  
• Installing concrete and cable barriers in divided highway medians to reduce the risk of head-on collisions
  
• Converted undivided roads into divided highways
  
• Building overpasses and interchanges to improve the flow of traffic and reduce crashes

Recent legislation that helps keep Texans safer on the road includes:

• Requiring all occupants to fasten their safety belts regardless of their age or where they are sitting in the vehicle
  
• Prohibiting motorcyclists from carrying passengers under the age of five unless the child is seated in a sidecar -Requiring children under the age of eight to be in an approved child passenger safety seat unless the child is at least four feet, nine inches tall
  
• Prohibiting drivers from using wireless communication devices in school zones unless the vehicle is stopped or a hands-free device is used if a sign is posted at the beginning of the school zone
  
• Increasing the penalty for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) with a child passenger by adding an automatic driver's license suspension for first-time offenders and an increased suspension period for repeat offenders
  
• Allowing police to order blood draws without search warrants from individuals they suspect of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) in certain cases
  
• Increasing the penalties for driving with a suspended license or without insurance
  
• Requiring a six-hour driver education course for all first-time drivers' license applicants who are between 18 and 25 years of age.

Texas is making particular improvement in the area of teen driving safety. According to the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), the rate of fatal teen crashes is declining more quickly and steadily in Texas than in any other state. This progress is due in part to a peer-to-peer safety program for young drivers called Teens in the Driver Seat.

A study conducted by TTI looked at 36 states with a minimum of five years of crash records obtainable after implementation of a Graduated Driver License (GDL) law; the Teens in the Driver Seat program was part of the study because it is meant to supplement the state's GDL law. The study indicated that Texas has accomplished the following:

• Reduced the number of fatal crashes per 10,000 teen drivers by 32.5%, more than any other state studied; Texas was the only state that had a steady reduction in the rate of fatal teen crashes for five years in a row.
  
• Lowered the number of teen drivers in fatal collision by almost 33%; the average number for several other large states increased.
• Lowered fatal motor vehicle crash rates for teen drivers by more than five times that of other age groups in Texas.

How can Texas roads become even safer? Legislation, funding, and advocacy groups do make a difference, but on an individual level, drivers must take responsibility for their behind-the-wheel behavior. According to The National Safety Commission (TNSC), every driver should practice defensive driving techniques, such as:

• Avoiding distractions such as reading while driving, eating, using a cell phone for talking or texting, and dealing with children.
  
• Making sure you are physically fit to drive by avoiding drowsy driving. Studies show that 37% of drivers report having nodded off or fallen asleep while driving.
  
• Making sure you are emotionally fit to drive by avoiding aggressive driving. Be courteous to other drivers even if they aren't courteous in return.
  
• Including other road users, such as motorcyclists and pedestrians, in your visual search pattern.
  
• Wearing safety belts. According to the TxDOT, of all individuals killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 where restraint usage was applicable and usage was known, 56% were not restrained when the deadly collision occurred.
• Taking a defensive driving course to refresh your driving skills, especially if you receive a traffic ticket.
  
• Setting a good driving example for your children. Long before you start giving driving lessons, your kids absorb your driving practices as the "correct" way to drive.
  
• Enforcing GDL laws as house rules for teen drivers.
  

A parent-teen contract can help by making penalties for breaking the rules clear.

The need for motorists to police their own driving behavior is supported by the sad fact that, according to TxDOT, there were zero deathless days on Texas roadways in 2008.

Labels: defensive driving, driving safety, TNSC

Receiving a traffic ticket is no fun for anyone and receiving a Texas traffic ticket may be a little confusing for those who aren't familiar with the Texas court system. Texas law has created a multitude of courts and, unless you are thoroughly familiar with jurisdictions in Texas, you could have trouble understanding which court has jurisdiction over your ticket.

Your Texas traffic ticket should list the court having jurisdiction over your ticket and the officer should explain your court date and which court will be handling your case however, it may still be a bit confusing. The court that has jurisdiction over your Texas traffic ticket will depend on the law enforcement agency that issued the ticket and the location where you received your ticket.

Basically, there are two types of courts that have jurisdiction over Texas traffic tickets; Justice of the Peace Courts and Municipal Courts.

Justice of the Peace Court - If you receive a ticket from the Texas Department of Public Safety (Highway Patrol), a county sheriff, or a county constable, your ticket will normally fall under the jurisdiction of the Justice of the Peace Court in the county where you received your ticket.

Large counties such as Harris or Dallas may have up to 8 Justice of the Peace precinct courts within the county and the precinct court handling your ticket will normally depend on the precinct of the law enforcement agency that issued the ticket. It is important to remember that the precinct court handling your ticket may not necessarily be the one for the precinct where you live.

Municipal Courts - If you receive your ticket from a municipal or city police department such as the Austin or Round Rock Police Department, your ticket will be handled by the Municipal Court in that city or town.

Your Plea - First it is important to understand that signing your traffic ticket does not mean you admit guilt. Signing the ticket merely means you understand you have been issued a traffic citation and you know what date you must appear in court. If you do not pay your traffic fine or fail to appear in court on the scheduled date, you will be charged with "Failure to Appear" and your license may be suspended.

Upon receiving a Texas traffic ticket, you have several options. You may plead "Not Guilty" in which case a hearing date will be set. You may plead "Guilty" and pay your fine, or you may plead "Nolo Contendere" which means you don't admit guilt but the case will be handled the same as a guilty plea.

Traffic Ticket Dismissal (Deferred Disposition) - If you are eligible, Texas law allows one traffic offense in a 12 month period to be dismissed by taking a defensive driving course or a motorcycle operator's course. In order to be eligible to take the defensive driving course, you:
-may not have completed an approved defensive driving course or motorcycle operator course, as appropriate, within the 12 months preceding the date of the offense.
-must enter a plea of guilty or nolo contendere on or before the answer date on the citation and present the request to take the course to the court in person, by counsel, or by certified mail (postmarked on or before due date);

• must present to the court a valid Texas driver's license or permit or proof of active military duty status or be the spouse or dependent child of a person on active military duty; and
• must provide the court evidence of financial responsibility (Auto Liability Insurance).
  

You will not be eligible for ticket dismissal if:

• you are alleged to have been speeding 25 mph or more over the speed limit;
• the offense was committed in a construction or maintenance zone when workers are present;
• you were charged with passing a school bus loading or unloading children;
• you were charged with leaving the scene of an accident after causing damage to a vehicle that is driven or attended;
• you were charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failing to give information and/or render aid;
• you were charged with committing a serious traffic violation; and
• you held a commercial driver's license at the time of the offense or hold a CDL at the time of the request including when the person is driving his or her own personal vehicle.
  

Time Limits - In order to have your traffic ticket dismissed, you must request permission from the court by filling out a form. Depending on the court, you will have a certain time limit in which to submit the request. You should either hand carry the request to the court or send it via certified mail to ensure that it arrives prior to the deadline.

Court Costs - When requesting to attend defensive driving school, you must still pay court costs and, once you have completed the school, you must include a copy of your driving record along with your school completion certificate in order for the court to verify that you were eligible to attend the defensive driving course.

Out of State Drivers - Drivers from another state who receive a Texas traffic ticket may, with the permission of the judge, take an on-line defensive driving course that has been approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to have the ticket dismissed.

Active Military - Active military members who hold an out of state license may request permission from the judge to take a TEA approved defensive driving course, as long as they have not taken a defensive driving course (or similar course) within the previous 12 months, in order to have the ticket dismissed.

Labels: defensive driving, driving safety, traffic ticket

Like most states, Texas has a point system for traffic violations however that is where the similarity ends. Most states assign a point value based on the severity of the offense earning a driver anywhere from 2 to 6 points depending on the offense. If you earn so many points in a specific period, your license may be suspended.

Points - The Texas point system is quite simple:

• Every moving offense as defined by Texas law that a driver earns in Texas or another state will receive 2 points.
• A moving offense that results in a crash earns 3 points.
• Points are not assessed for speeding less than 10% over the posted speed limit or for seat belt violations.
• Child safety seat violations will earn 2 points.
  

Points will remain on your driving record for a period of three years.

Surcharges

Just as in any other state, once a driver goes to court for these offenses they may be fined, have their license suspended or revoked and may have to pay fees to get their license reinstated. Where the Texas point system differs from most other states is the point surcharge system.

Texas requires drivers to pay an annual surcharge if they earn 6 or more points in a three year period. The surcharge is reviewed annually and if a driver continues to earn points the surcharge goes up.

For example:

A driver earns 6 points within a three year period and is assessed a $100 surcharge. If the driver continues to accumulate points, he or she will receive an additional $25 surcharge for every point over the original 6 points. A driver who continues to earn points each year will see his or her annual surcharge increase and it will continue until there are no longer 6 accumulated points on the driving record within a 3 year period.

Certain serious offenses such as a DUI do not earn points but are assessed an automatic surcharge that the driver will have to pay for three years after the date of conviction:

• Driving While Intoxicated (DWI), or a DWI-related offense
• First Conviction - $1,000 annual surcharge
• Second or subsequent Conviction - $1,500 annual surcharge
• DWI with Blood Alcohol Content .16 or greater - $2,000 annual surcharge
  

• Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility (auto liability insurance)
• $250 annual surcharge
• Driving While License Invalid
• $250 annual surcharge
  

• Driving without a Valid License (i.e.; No Driver License, No Commercial Driver License, No Endorsement Violation, No Motorcycle License, Operate with License for other Class Vehicle)
• $100 annual surcharge
  

Surcharges are cumulative, for example:

A driver convicted of DWI pays an annual surcharge of $1,000. That driver is subsequently convicted of Driving While License Invalid and must now pay $250 in addition to the $1000 for the DWI conviction.

Drivers have 30 days to pay the annual surcharge or face suspension of their license until all the charges have been paid. Some drivers may be eligible for an installment plan that allows them to pay their surcharge over a longer period.

Point Removal

Texas allows one ticket in a 12 month period to be dismissed if the driver attends an approved Defensive Driving Course with certain exceptions:

• You must not possess a commercial drivers license (CDL).


• You must admit guilt and sign a statement that you do not contest the ticket.
• If cited for speeding, you must not have been speeding more than 25 mph over the posted speed limit.
  

You must receive permission from the court to attend the TX defensive driving course in order to have the points dismissed so make sure you contact the court prior to registering for the course. The court having jurisdiction over your ticket may require a fee to take the course and a fee to obtain a copy of your driving record in addition to the cost of the course itself.

You cannot use a certificate of attendance from a Defensive Driving Course that you attended previously for ticket dismissal. You must attend the course after conviction for the offense in order to have the ticket dismissed.

Labels: defensive driving, defensive driving course, driving safety, point system, seat belt safety, speeding ticket, texas defensive driving, texas traffic ticket, traffic violations

Driving is a complex behavior requiring sequences of activities that occur in an intricate and variable environment. Impairments in visual, cognitive, and motor function that occur as we age may affect a person's ability to drive safely. When you are driving, you must distribute your attention among multiple activities and be able to react quickly and correctly to situations that arise without warning. Poor reflexes and increased reaction time compromise your ability to do this.

Most senior drivers are capable and have a lifetime of valuable driving experience, so decisions about a person's ability to drive should never be based on age alone. However, changes in vision, physical fitness and reflexes may cause safety concerns. People who accurately assess these changes can adjust their driving habits so that they stay safe on the road. Older drivers in Texas are involved in a significant number of crashes; in 2007, there were 4,555 drivers involved in fatal crashes, 819 and of those drivers were age 55 or older.

One aspect of safe driving that becomes a challenge as we age is selecting a safe gap in traffic. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in two-vehicle fatal crashes in 2007 involving an older driver and a younger driver, the vehicle driven by the older person was nearly twice as likely to be the one that was struck (59% and 33%, respectively). In 25 percent of these crashes, the older driver was turning left - five times more often than the younger driver. A safe gap in traffic allows you to turn, pass, change lanes or cross an intersection without jeopardizing other road users or causing a crash.

This and other safe driving topics relevant to older drivers are covered in the Texas defensive driving course, which have the added benefit of providing insurance discounts upon completion. Mature drivers who complete this course minimize crash risk while saving hundreds of dollars on their auto insurance. Drivers receive a certificate to submit to their insurance agency after completing this easy, fast, and worthwhile course.

Labels: defensive driving, defensive driving course, mature drivers, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, older drivers, senior drivers