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◉ How Texas Road Rules Just Changed in a Big Way

Tag: driving laws

Navigating Newly Adjusted Speed Limits in Texas

In the months ahead, Texas drivers may be in for a surprise to find that the Speed Limit(s) may not match the permanently posted road signs.
– Passed by the Texas House of Representatives on May 3 and Effective September 1st, 2023 is House Bill 1885; which empowers Texas Department of Transportation (DoT) engineers – without case-by-case approval from the statewide transportation commission – to temporarily change speed limit(s) for a portion of a road or highway.

The Importance of Adherence to New Road Rules

The reason for the change in policy is to promote safety under specific inclement weather or hazardous road conditions such as heavy rain, flooding, ice, and during roadway construction or maintenance. Although Texas DoT engineers do not need prior permission or notice to adjust the speed limit on a patch or road, they do have a requirement to inform the public of the speed limit change by way of “..a sign notifying motorists of the change in speed limit is posted not less than 500 feet but not more than 1,000 feet before the point at which the speed limit begins.”

A Solution to Adjusted Speed Limits

These temporary/repositionable road signs indicating the temporary speed limit will modify/supersede the posted speed limit by 10+MPH or the new indicated speed limit. So in short, be aware of the signs you pass because the permanent sign reading 70MPH may be overridden by a temporary sign reading 60MPH or even less. A costly oversight; but fortunately, a correctable one. The state of Texas allows its drivers to take a defensive driving course to dismiss a traffic violation once every 12 months.

Keep Your Record Clean

Taking an online traffic school course will prevent the demerit point associated with that violation from going onto your driving record, which will also keep your insurance from going up as a result of the ticket-as long as you provide them with a copy of the completion certificate for completing traffic school. When you complete the course for ticket dismissal, you will automatically receive a certificate to turn in to your insurance company. The school will provide you with a two-part certificate of completion – one portion is for the court, and the other is for your insurance company.

While speeding tickets aren’t anyone’s favorite thing, the safety of construction crews can’t be understated. Senator and former Texas Department of Transportation Commissioner Robert Nichols said of the bill: “Everybody was concerned and had speeding tickets in their mind, not safety in construction zones,” and “..We did a little more educating on it this time and it flew through both chambers pretty well.”

There is always an adjustment period after new road regulations are put into effect. This one seems to be fairly straightforward and hopefully, Texas drivers and roadworkers alike will enjoy an improved safety standard going forward.

Best Online Traffic School

For more common sense driving practices be sure to check out our blogs or for more information about online driver improvement courses, contact us at 800-800-3579.

There is nothing more frustrating than having to pay an unexpected penalty; especially if you genuinely did not know the traffic laws of the region you were in. The truth is that ignorance of the law is no excuse. If you are planning a summer road trip, or travel often, it is probably a good idea to know which states give the most tickets and the penalties you could be facing. At the end of the day, it is up to you to keep yourself and your pocketbook safe.

Florida

There are a lot of crazy stories that come out of Florida, which is why it is almost unbelievable that they won the award for most tickets given out. If you get caught with simple speeding you can expect charges up to $250 and you can lose your license for up to 30 days. If the violation exceeds minor speeding penalties you can expect up to 500 dollars in fees and 90 days without a license.

Georgia

The state of Georgia ties for second in the state that hands out the most speeding tickets. Though they may not hand out as many as Florida, their punishments are much harsher. A first-time violator can expect fees and punishments up to $1,000, one year in jail, and five years without a license. In a strange twist, the same punishments apply to more serious traffic violations.

Nevada

It turns out that Nevada is the last place you want to gamble when it comes to speeding. They tie Georgia in tickets issued but are not quite as harsh with their penalties. If you get caught over the speed limit in Nevada you will see fees up to $1,000, six months in jail, and losing your license for an entire year. Just like in Georgia, the fees do not increase with the crime severity.

Texas

The state of Texas comes in 3rd – or 4th depending on how you look at it – in the number of tickets issued. Texas is an interesting entry, not only because they are a larger state, but because their penalties are much lower. A speeding ticket in Texas will get you as little as a $1 fine but could fetch up to $200. A license suspension of up to one year is also in play. More serious infractions carry the same penalties with the added possibility of one year of jail time.

Alabama

If you haven’t gotten the notion yet, you should probably adhere to the speed limit when you are in the south. Alabama rounds out the top five states you don’t want to get caught in. Violators in Alabama will see fees up to $100 dollars, 10 days of jail time, and a 1-year license suspension. More severe crimes garner up to $500, 3 months jail time, and 6 months without a license.

Of course, the cost of a ticket is only the beginning of your woes when you get pulled over. There are increases in insurance costs and even legal fees. There are other fees that you wouldn’t even think of until you lose your license like the cost of a bus pass or a taxi ride. We all make mistakes and it is not the worst thing in the world to incur a speeding ticket, but it is always smart to adhere to speed limits and know the laws of whichever state you are traveling in.

Don’t forget that there are often ways around these penalties. It all depends on the state, but there are many ways to fight a ticket; explore your options before you give in and pay for the ticket. If you must accept a punishment look into traffic school, especially online traffic school, as a way to lessen your penalties.