Millions of drivers get pulled over across Texas roadways. Some choose to simply pay the ticket and others choose to take a state approved Texas defensive driving course to keep their record as clean as possible. Online defensive driving courses have been around for many years now, yet many Texas drivers still aren’t quite sure how they work. We thought it would extremely helpful to cover the 10 most frequently asked questions on the subject of defensive driving.
Question #1: I have never gotten a ticket before. What do I do?
Once you have received the ticket from the Police Officer or State Trooper and you have reached a point to safely read it over, you should notice there is a court appearance date shown. This court date refers to the day that you are required to appear in court, assuming that you plan to dispute the charge or would like to speak to the Judge about the matter. If you acknowledge your guilt and would prefer to simply resolve the situation as quickly as possible, you can contact the court prior to your appearance date to officially notify them that you will either simply pay the fine or would like to take a Texas defensive driving course.
Question #2: How do I choose whether to pay the fine, or take defensive driving?
The answer to this question depends on the person and the risk you may or may not be willing to accept. It is important to understand that the main difference between paying the fine and taking a defensive driving course is that the ticket WILL go on your Texas driving record when you pay the fine. Conversely, when you successfully complete a defensive driving course, the ticket DOES NOT go on your driving record. Many people think that taking a defensive driving course is a cheaper option than paying the fine. This is normally true, however there is still a significant Court Fee (usually around $100-$120) even if you are taking defensive driving, plus you have the cost of the defensive driving course ($25), so the savings vary depending upon the severity of your infraction. In addition to being a slightly less expensive option, taking defensive driving also keeps your driving record clean. This is potentially an even larger cost saver, especially in the event that you get multiple tickets. Texas now has something called the Driver Responsibility Program which amounts to a system whereby drivers receive surcharges from the state based upon a particular driving related conviction such as a DUI or the number of points accumulated on their driving record. In the event that six or more points are reached, you can be surcharged by the State. These surcharges are an additional fine above and beyond any fees that you may pay to the Court for a particular infraction. Click here for details on the Texas points system.
I hope you find these helpful. We will post another set of questions very soon.
