Texas Driver Safety and Training

Many teens are so excited to get their driver's licenses that much of the training they received prior to licensure is quickly forgotten. But it's important for new drivers to follow the fundamental rules of the road, and adapting speed to conditions is one rule that's frequently broken.

Driving too fast for conditions is considered speeding and can result in a traffic ticket. But that's not the only reason to slow down - driving too fast for conditions is a contributing cause of many motor vehicle crashes. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds (based on 2005 figures, which are the latest mortality data currently available from the National Center for Health Statistics).

A 2009 analysis of speeding-related crashes by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows that following the speed limit is not enough to prevent a crash when conditions warrant a reduction in speed. The study showed that in speeding-related crashes that caused one or more injuries, 26% of the crashes were contributed to be exceeding the posted speed limit, while 74% were due to driving too fast for conditions. In property-damage-only crashes where speed was a contributing factor, 18% of the crashes were due to exceeding the posted speed limit and 82% of the crashes were contributed to by driving too fast for conditions. Drivers should reduce their speed:

• immediately when it begins to rain
• when roads are slippery due to snow or ice
• in foggy or smoky conditions
• before a curve
• in construction zones
• around school zones and playgrounds
• at night

It's also important to monitor your speed carefully on rural roadways with higher speed limits.

Passengers may encourage the driver to travel at or above the speed limit. Resisting this pressure is an important exercise in maturity for teen drivers and is an integral part of keeping their driver's licenses. Unfortunately, it could even be a life-and-death matter.

Labels: dismiss traffic ticket, drivers license, speed limit, speeding ticket

Running a red light is a universally bad idea. In Texas, (and most anywhere else) motorists should pay attention to traffic lights. These traffic lights are one of the basic things to know about driving: the green light means go, the red light means stop, and the yellow light means that the light will turn either green or red.

Following that rule should be simple, right? Here are a few things to know about the traffic lights in Texas:

Traffic Cameras

In most cities in Texas, there are traffic cameras installed where there are traffic lights. At first, one might conjure up images of “Big Brother” watching each and every vehicle passing the road, but the reality is: these traffic cameras are only triggered when a vehicle runs a red light. They usually have a grace period of half a second, enough time for a vehicle to notice the red light and stop at the appropriate time.

Red lights

When a vehicle runs a red light, the high-speed traffic cameras capture the plate number and the model of the car, and that image is further examined by professional traffic enforcers to determine if there was an offense or not. When it is confirmed that a vehicle caught on camera did indeed ignore the traffic light, they will be mailed a citation using the information from their plate number. The Texas traffic light offender will then choose to either pay the fine, or appear in court. After that, there is also a possibility of being ordered to attend a defensive driving or driving education course that specializes in traffic lights and signs. Fines are usually between $75 to $100, plus other fees.

Traffic signal out

Surprisingly, there is a law that was only enacted in 2003: when a traffic light is out, all intersections turn into four-way stop. No exceptions. A traffic light can be considered “out” when none of the signals are flashing, or when the lights are behaving erratically.

In Texas, these laws are put into practice to keep Texas a safer place to drive!

Complete a Texas Defensive Driving Course to reduce points on your driving record or for an auto insurance discount.

Labels: dismiss traffic ticket, texas driving laws, texas traffic laws, texas traffic ticket, traffic cameras, traffic lights

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

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