Texas Driver Safety and Training

When thinking of traffic school, people usually tend to think only of the benefit of removing a traffic ticket from their record but there are benefits beyond that ; for the driver, their family members, and the driving public at large.

Here are just a few benefits one could expect by taking online traffic school:

It clears up points from recent traffic tickets. We all make mistakes from time to time and sometimes, that mistake can come in the form of a traffic ticket. Depending on the state, taking an online defensive driving course (traffic school) can remove the points assigned to a traffic ticket or remove any record of the traffic offense altogether. In some states, by voluntarily taking a traffic school, you can bank points against a possible future ticket. If you receive a traffic ticket in another state, you can attend that state’s traffic school online.

Lower insurance premiums. Think of it this way: with an investment of a few dollars and a few hours, you can save hundreds more in the long run. Some states allow drivers to voluntarily attend a traffic school to reduce their insurance rates. You can receive a double benefit by reducing your insurance rates and learning valuable tools to prevent getting a traffic ticket in the future. It’s a win-win process.

It will save you time and money. It can save money by lower insurance premiums, and also, if the driver has received a ticket, it will save the driver the time, effort, and money that contesting the charge in court might require. A few hours of online traffic school compared to months fighting a ticket? No contest.

Online traffic school allows you to learn at your own pace. Instead of attending class at a fixed time and place, an online traffic school allows you to take the course at your own time and pace. You can choose a time that is convenient to you, stop if necessary and pick up again right where you left off.

It will make you a better driver. What bigger benefit does online traffic school have other than teaching drivers better techniques to deal with different kinds of dangerous driving situations? Learning the tools for safe driving not only will it keep you safe, it will protect your family members as well.

Labels: auto insurance discount course, defensive driving course, online traffic school, texas driver record, traffic school, traffic ticket

The statistics are very disturbing. Estimates are that your chances of being involved in a car crash are one in four. That means one out of every four people will be involved in a car crash at least once in their lifetime. Many of us, unfortunately, will be involved in more than one crash. Your chances of being killed in a car crash are one in one hundred. Fortunately you can take steps to reduce those odds.

One important thing to remember is that there is rarely any such thing as a traffic "accident". Accidents are something over which we have no control. Being struck by lightning or losing your home in a flash flood are accidents. When you put a human behind the wheel of a car, you don't have accidents. What you have are poor driving decisions that lead to a collision. Taking risky chances, speeding, running a red light, or just allowing yourself to be distracted from the important task of paying full attention to the road ahead are not accidents; they are conscious decisions made by drivers every day and, on average, approximately 40,000 vehicle occupants are killed and 3,000,000 are injured each year as a result. Another problem lies in the fact that as technology improves to make cars safer and roads are improved, it seems that drivers feel it is safer to drive even faster and to take more chances.

We face a lot of frustrations as drivers. Traffic grows heavier and heavier and time seems to grow shorter. As a result, over time, we tend to develop bad driving habits and take more chances. You may not even be fully aware of the bad habits that you have developed but those bad habits could be leading to a collision. Ask yourself these questions:

• When the light turns yellow do I stomp on the gas to try to beat the red light?


• Do I tailgate?


• Do I regularly drive over the speed limit?


• Do I carry on cell phone conversations while driving?


• Do I text while driving?


• Do I weave in and out of lanes to try to get ahead?


• Am I well rested before I start to drive?


• Do I get angry at the traffic situation or at other drivers?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be headed for a collision; you may even be an aggressive driver. It may be time for you to look at methods to evaluate your driving behavior and to get the tools you need to learn how to avoid a crash and save money.

Defensive Driving Course

The best method to learn these crash avoidance methods is to enroll in a defensive driving course. These schools look at a variety of issues surrounding the modern driving environment. Just as in any other processes that we do, whether it be work related or something as simple as cooking a meal, we can all benefit from refresher training from time to time. This course can be taken on-line, at work or at home, and at your leisure in a way that fits your busy schedule. A defensive driving school, among other things, will provide you with information on:

• Crash statistics and the physics of motor vehicle crashes


• Crash prevention techniques


• Occupant protection devices (such as seat belts and airbags)


• Driving under the influence of alcohol


• How to share the road with large trucks, motorcyclists and pedestrians


• Dealing with stress and drowsiness while driving


• Hazards of speeding


• Traffic laws
  

Benefits of the course

• Individuals, who haven't received a traffic ticket and take the course voluntarily, may be eligible for an insurance discount that can save a significant amount of money over time.


• Businesses, whose employees drive as a part of their work, can also benefit with lower insurance rates and a safer work environment if they provide the course to their workforce.


• Individuals who take the course and use the tools provided can significantly reduce their chances of getting a traffic ticket or being involved in a crash.

Labels: crash prevention techniques, defensive driving class, defensive driving course, driver safety course, online defensive driving

Premiums for automobile insurance encompass a variety of factors used to assess the risk of a particular driver. Since some aspects of determining the cost of your auto insurance policy are out of your hands, it's helpful to learn just how you might be able to reduce your premiums.

First, make sure you understand the concept of auto insurance - how much it costs, exactly what it covers, and what makes the premium increase or decrease. Ask your agent how much one traffic violation on your driving record will raise your rates and how you can have a traffic ticket dismissed. Even drivers who haven’t received traffic tickets may be eligible for a 10% auto insurance discount for three years when they complete a defensive driving course. To learn more, ask your auto insurance carrier about their defensive driving course discounts.

Next, be sure your vehicles are in excellent mechanical shape. When you buy a new or pre-owned vehicle, try to select a mid-range model - nothing fancy or high-powered, but nothing too old either. Older vehicles may not have safety features, which help keep you safe in a crash and also help you earn insurance discounts. Your insurance company may offer discounts for the following safety features. If not, it pays to shop around. Discounts for vehicle safety features vary widely among insurance companies.

• Air Bags: All vehicles sold in the US must have driver and passenger-side dual airbags. Air bags must be used with safety belts for maximum effectiveness.


• Head Injury Protection: This feature, which lessons the blow if your head hits the interior roof of your vehicle, has become standard in recent years. Older models may not have this safety feature.


• Advanced Headrests: These systems allow the back of the seat and headrest to move down and back if the vehicle is hit from the rear, reducing the forward motion and thus decreasing the severity of head and neck injuries.


• Automatic Daytime Running Lights: This feature means that your vehicle’s headlights are always on, even during daylight, which gives your vehicle greater visibility.


• Anti-lock Brake System: This feature eliminates the need to "pump the brakes" when you have to stop quickly, preventing the wheels from locking up and the vehicle from skidding. ABS pumps the brakes for the driver; the driver keeps constant pressure on the brake pedal and concentrates on steering. This helps the driver regain control of the vehicle quickly in bad weather conditions or to act quickly to prevent a crash.


• Traction Control: While ABS helps drivers maintain control while braking, traction control helps them do so while accelerating. This feature stops the spinning of a wheel due to wet roads, loose gravel, or fast acceleration by braking it, reducing the fuel or cutting spark plug ignitions, depending on the type of system, which improves traction.


• Electronic Stability System: This feature coordinates the ABS, Traction Control, and the "yaw" of your vehicle (how much the vehicle rocks side to side). The system reduces tire spinning, skidding, and tractionless cornering, keeping the vehicle's tires in maximum contact with the road.

Third, if you have a teen driver in your family, continue driver instruction for your teen even after she or he is licensed. Make sure your teen follows the graduated driver licensing laws in your state. Keep track of your teen's progress by having them drive with you in the front passenger seat occasionally. Monitor your teen's cell phone bill to make sure the teen isn't making calls or sending texts during times she or he is usually on the road.

Auto insurance is a necessary expense, but there are ways to minimize the cost. Conducting a little research to determine how to save money on auto insurance is a worthwhile effort.

Labels: auto insurance, auto insurance discount course, defensive driving course, discounts, dismiss traffic ticket, teen auto insurance, texas auto insurance

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