Dealing With a Traffic Ticket in Texas

The sheer size of Texas and the numerous highways and open roads make it easy for drivers to get caught up in driving and forget about traffic laws by speeding or committing any other infraction. There are, however, many Texas State Troopers to remind drivers about the law. If a driver spots flashing police lights in their rearview mirror, the best thing to do is to pull over immediately, as soon as it is safe. Stay in the car and follow the instructions of the officer; drivers must always have their license and insurance information in the vehicle and should be ready to present it. It is important to stay calm and be polite to the officer. If the officer issues a ticket, the driver should sign for the ticket, even if they do not believe they are guilty. This is not an admission of guilt, and refusing to sign could result in an arrest.

The driver has a certain period of time to pay the fine of the ticket or contest the ticket in court. Many drivers choose to contest their tickets, especially if their driving record already has some blemishes and another conviction would cause serious consequences. Texas has a points system where demerit points are added to a driver’s record every time a violation is committed. After a certain number of points, the driver can face fines or a license suspension. Some drivers have the option of attending a defensive driving course to dismiss their ticket, unless their ticket is for excessive speeding or they have too many violations on their record.

Texas has a unique program called the Driver Responsibility Program that penalizes drivers with frequent or especially dangerous violations. These drivers are charged annual fines or surcharges depending upon their offenses. Examples of offenses that can be deemed “surchargeable violations” include DUI, driving without a license or with a suspended license, or driving without insurance. Drivers with a certain high number of points can also be surcharged. These fines may last for several years and can cost thousands of dollars. For this and many other reasons, it is in the best interest of the defendant to contact a lawyer immediately to contest their ticket in court. Fighting a traffic ticket can be much more successful with the help of a legal expert.