traffic ticket – Traffic School Online

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’s nothing quite like getting a traffic ticket to ruin your day. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “the most common reason for contact with the police is being a driver in a traffic stop.” Most people think that fighting a traffic ticket is a hopeless job. Only five percent of drivers who get traffic tickets contest them. People who do challenge their traffic citations usually lose because they’re unprepared and nervous. If you’ve recently received a traffic ticket, here’s what you need to do and consider.

Tips for Contesting a Traffic Ticket

Review your ticket. Check all details of your ticket immediately after it’s issued to you. If you find wrong or missing information, there may be grounds for dismissal of your ticket.
Know your state traffic laws. Going over the speed limit in safe conditions is legal in a few states. If you received a speeding ticket in one of those states, you may have grounds for a ticket dismissal.
If the offense is of a subjective matter, sometimes you can challenge what an officer said he or she saw. In other words, was the officer in a good spot to get an accurate view of what occurred? If not, point out facts that can prove to the officer that he or she didn’t see what actually happened.
Determine if your actions have any legal justification or were necessary to prevent danger. Let’s say your ticket is for an illegal lane change. If you made an illegal lane switch to prevent hitting an animal or object, your ticket may get dismissed.

Going to Court

If you go to court, be sure you have photos that can support your case. These may include photos of stop signs or intersections. A good example is a photo of a hidden stop sign.

Use clear diagrams that show the location of your car and the officer’s vehicle. Make sure to include relative objects such as traffic signals or intersections. If possible, have witnesses who saw what happened and can testify on your behalf.

Considerations and Warnings

Consider if you have enough time to devote to fighting your ticket. If it is only a minor traffic infraction and fine, it may be better to just pay the fine. If you do decide to fight your ticket, expect to spend several hours in preparation. You will also spend at least half a day devoted to traveling to and from court, as well as disputing your case. You’ll also need to make sure you dress in proper attire so that you make a positive impression.
If you decide to fight your ticket, don’t use excuses that can immediately defeat you. Don’t say that you didn’t know the speed limit or that you were talking on your phone and didn’t notice the stop sign.

The Option of Attending a Traffic School

In many states, if you choose to fight your ticket you may waive your right to take traffic school. Usually, once you go to court it is then up to the judge to decide whether you are eligible for traffic school.

Traffic school could prove to be a good solution for your traffic ticket. In most cases, drivers get a reduced fine when they attend traffic school. It will also allow you to keep the ticket from having a negative effect on your driving record.

When you think of things that hurt your credit rating, you tend to look at the big-ticket items. That credit card debt you racked up over a Vegas weekend, the time you didn’t make your student loan payments for six months because you moved and didn’t get the bills, or that one time you moved out in the middle of the night because you couldn’t afford to pay your rent.

However, it’s important to remember that the little things affect your credit rating just as surely as the big things do. So if you’ve ever asked, “do unpaid traffic tickets affect your credit?” the answer you’re looking for is yes.

How Badly Can Unpaid Tickets Hurt?

It’s tempting to think of unpaid tickets as no big deal. After all, a $20 fine here, or a $50 fine there aren’t really that important. You’ll take care of them when you take care of them. However, the story of Omar Al Chaar, which was published by Aljazeera America, might give some people pause the next time they put off paying a ticket.

The story is a pretty simple one. Omar lived in the D.C. area, and he had a regular Thursday basketball game with some friends. A particularly overzealous parking enforcement agent kept ticketing him every time his meter ran out, even if it had only been out for a minute. Instead of parking somewhere else, or taking a quick break to feed the meter a little earlier, Omar decided to stop paying the tickets. After all, what were they going to do to him over a few unpaid parking citations?

The answer was drop his credit score by a triple-digit amount.

When this whole thing got started, Omar had a credit score in the solid 700 range, which is just what you want in case you decide to buy a house or get a new car. When he went to make a major purchase that required a background and credit check, though, he found his score had dropped 105 points as a direct result of refusing to pay his parking tickets.

Traffic Tickets Are Just Like Any Other Debt

Debt makes up 30 percent of your credit score, and another 35 percent of it is made up of your payment history. So, if you have unpaid traffic tickets, they can put some big black marks in the two sections that make up more than half of your credit.

Of course, it isn’t getting the tickets that causes a problem. It’s not paying them.

Your credit report considers every aspect of your financial life, but it isn’t particularly concerned with whether or not you remember to feed the meter, or get pulled over for speeding. Those tickets only affect your credit report when they’ve sat for too long, and they go to collections. At that point you’ve simply not paid, and that is where your negative marks come in. The longer you leave those tickets unpaid, the worse they’ll drag down your credit rating.

The solution, of course, is to simply pay all your traffic tickets in a timely manner. Generally speaking it takes at least three months for a ticket to even show up on your credit report, so if you pay those tickets quickly they’ll never make an impact. It’s also important to get a receipt for your payment, and to check your credit score annually in order to be sure there are no unexpected entries. Traffic tickets can sometimes be left unpaid when you have a receipt that clearly says you covered the costs, and if you don’t contend the collection and get the paperwork straightened out then it can have a truly negative affect on your numbers.

Erase your traffic ticket fast and easy with America’s #1 Traffic School course.

Get started today!

So highway patrol caught you speeding on the way home from work yesterday. You tried arguing with the officer a little that the speed really wasn’t posted anywhere and you were only traveling at the speed that felt safest. He still gave you a ticket. You still don’t feel it was rightly deserved and want to try and fight it! What do you do? You go to traffic court! But then, what should you do when you get there to help the case?

Here’s What NOT To Do

Court Room Decorum

When you go to court dress appropriately. Do not wear shorts and a tank top. Take the time to dress in a manner that shows the judge that you are a mature individual who deserves to have the privilege of driving. Wear some nice dress slacks and a button-down shirt. Females may want to dress in a longer skirt and a nice blouse or sweater. Try to keep the attire business casual. Do not chew gum while in the courtroom.

Don’t Talk Over or Interrupt the Judicial Officer

Have respect for the judicial officer hearing your case. Be polite and only talk at the appropriate times. Don’t argue or interrupt. If you can’t be polite and courteous in the traffic court room the judge may not believe that you are capable of being a polite and courteous driver.

Don’t sit in the audience talking.

While other cases are being heard you need to remember to sit in the audience quietly. Be patient. You don’t want to annoy the judge and have an opinion formed about you before it is even your turn.

Turn off your cell phones in the courtroom.

It is important to remember to turn your cell phone off in court. Many courts will actually post signs saying cell phones are not allowed.

Here’s What TO Do

Reach the Code Section you are being charged with.

Make sure that you have all the facts lined up before you set a trial. For most states, you can find the code section online.

Pay attention to other people’s cases being heard.

You’ll generally learn something if you listen to other people’s cases. See what they do to make things better or worse and use it for your own situation accordingly.

If you have an issue with the officer’s behavior, do not make this the only focus.

If your issue is with the officer’s behavior make sure that is not the only focus for your trial. Generally, that is an issue to be taken up with the policy agency. Be sure to mention it as a secondary issue and don’t use it as the entire reason you want the ticket to be dismissed.

Be prepared to spend most of the morning in court.

Don’t expect to get out of there early. Just be patient and wait your turn. You may not present your case properly if you are frustrated and anxious to leave. Also, remember, everyone there is in the same position you are so remember to be courteous.

Additional Advice for Traffic Court:

Legal Counsel: Consider hiring a traffic attorney or at least consulting with one before your court date. They can provide valuable insights into your specific situation and might increase your chances of getting the ticket dismissed or reduced.
- American Bar Association – Finding Legal Help
Gather Evidence: If possible, return to the scene and take photographs, especially if there are no clear speed limit signs. This can be used as evidence to support your claim.
Driving School: Some jurisdictions offer the option to attend a defensive driving course in lieu of paying the fine or getting points on your license. Inquire about this possibility.
Witnesses: If someone was with you at the time of the alleged violation, consider bringing them as a witness. Their testimony might support your case.

When you’ve accumulated points on your license, you often find yourself in the position of needing to reduce them. There are several reasons to attend traffic school to lower the number of points reflected on your license. Perhaps you’re in danger of losing your license due to repeated infractions, or maybe you just don’t want to deal with an increase in your insurance rates. Regardless of your reasons, when you choose to attend a traffic school in Florida, you want to make sure you’re not the victim of a scam and that you don’t end up being caught by a bait-and-switch pricing tactic.

How They Catch You

Many traffic schools offer what seem to be inexpensive up-front rates. “For just $7.95, you can remove points from your license today!” “Attend traffic school online for just $9.95!” The inexpensive up-front cost pulls you in, leading you to assume that the school is offering the most inexpensive option for removing points from your license and getting your driving record back to its usual sparkling condition. Unfortunately, those low fees don’t last long.

Buyer Beware: Bait and Switch Pricing Schemes

You chose the so-called cheapest option for your online traffic school. Unfortunately, it’s not destined to last. Once you register and select the course you want to take, you’ll find plenty of fake fees associated with the course that will drive your price up and eat away at those savings. In many cases, you’ll end up paying more for those fees than you would have if you’d chosen a more reputable traffic school to begin with. Some will claim a “certificate fee” — that is, you can take the course for their low price of $7.95, but you can’t get a certificate showing that you completed it without paying their certificate fee of $19.95. Others push the blame off on the state: you have to pay a “state processing fee” to complete the requirements. Here’s a hint: Florida does not charge a driver any state processing fee. The goal, of course, is to convince you to go ahead and hand over the money, even though it’s substantially higher than what you thought you were paying. You’ve already chosen a school and decided that this was the one you wanted to go with. You’ve registered with the site. Now you just want to get the class finished so that you can get back to your regular responsibilities. Not only that, you may assume that every school offers these fees — and that’s simply not the case.

The Traffic School Online Difference

At trafficschoolonline-dev.plume.co.uk/, we don't play games with our customers. Instead, we lay out our fees in a fair, upfront way. What you pay is what you pay, with no hidden fees that will come up during the registration process. We understand that when you take one of our courses to reduce the points on your license, you need a responsive company that will ensure that you get your records quickly and efficiently, removing the points from your license before you face any other penalties. Not only that, we want to offer a solid price that you can count on: no hidden costs that don't appear until you've already started the process. Your Google search for a Florida traffic school will be filled with false promises: "the cheapest online traffic school," "traffic school for just $6.95," and "the lowest-priced traffic courses online" are just a few of the promises that you'll find in the first page of results alone. Unfortunately, many of those are false promises that will fail to deliver the results — and the savings — you need. By choosing trafficschoolonline-dev.plume.co.uk/, you can rest assured that you're getting a high-quality online traffic school where the cost is given openly upfront.

The Pioneer of Defensive Driving Online & Online Traffic School

We didn’t invent traffic school. We just perfected it.

What if you could protect your driving record without leaving home? How could traffic schools be more accessible? Steve Soldis asked himself these questions and forever changed traffic school for the masses. Steve, CEO of Traffic School Online, received a ticket in 1996 on a Californian highway. To avoid points on his record and increased insurance rates, he opted for traffic school. Steve found out the nearest traffic school was over 30 miles away. He was then committed to making the traffic ticket experience more convenient. He originated the idea of an online traffic school as an alternative to an in-person class.

Steve’s idea gave drivers a new way to fight traffic tickets.

Did you know you may have options for appealing a speeding ticket? Beating a speeding ticket, or other kind of traffic violation, may not seem like it would be of much consequence, but it can help you in the long run. Whether you’re trying to lower your insurance rates, or just want to keep your driving record clean, here are some tips to help you beat a traffic ticket. (Please note that this article assumes that you’ve only broken traffic laws and not violated other laws.)

Attitude:

From the moment you’re pulled over, you need to be in the mindset of preventing or fighting a ticket. That is not to say, however, that you should be fighting physically. You should never threaten the police or give them any reason to get angry with you. Turn off your car, turn on your interior lights, and keep your hands on your steering wheel. (Don’t get out of your car!) You want to take the tension out of the situation and make sure that everyone is comfortable, both you and the officer.

If you’re polite, you’re less likely to make an enemy. Once you’ve done what you’ve been asked to do and the officer has said his part, you can say yours. If you’re perfectly aware that you’ve broken the law, then admit it. Sometimes an officer won’t bother to ticket you if you let them know that you’re aware and won’t do it again. If you feel the need to plead your case, do so politely. Be sure you leave the scene politely and non-aggressively. If the officer who issued the ticket doesn’t remember you, that’s probably a good thing.

Still Have a Ticket and Want It Gone?

You have the right to appeal to the officer. If you can call the officer and arrange a time to meet, they’re generally willing to talk. Granted, it’s difficult to talk an officer out of a ticket after the fact since it didn’t work the first time, but you do have the right to try. Be kind, courteous, and polite, just like before, and know that the officer is in his right to drop the ticket or leave it standing.

If you don’t feel up to meeting the officer face to face, you can always write him a letter. Granted, this is a good idea even if you have met with him. The key to getting the officer to drop the ticket is to professionally make the ticket a bigger deal to you than it is to him. Be tenacious but not overbearing.

Of course, if the officer won’t listen to you, you can always contact the judge and/or prosecutor. At this point, the worst they can do is say “no”. Plead your case to them, but don’t be annoying about it. While persistence is good, obnoxious over-bearance will get you nowhere.

Heading to Court?

If the ticket goes all the way to court, you can still fight it. Follow all the rules of the court, and make the court employees’ jobs as easy as possible. Again, politeness will get you far here, as you need to be sure you’re in touch with the court. You don’t want to miss any deadlines or important dates.

Delay your trial for as long as you possibly can. Don’t lie to get the continuances (delays) but try to push your court date out as far as possible so that the officer has less of a chance of remembering you.

Can’t be Dropped?

If your ticket can’t be dropped for whatever reason, then the key is to keep it off your insurance and driving record. In this case, you should ask for alternative punishments. Traffic school is often the way to go in this situation, and if that’s what you choose, then you should choose America’s number one online traffic school at trafficschoolonline-dev.plume.co.uk/ to keep that ticket off your record.

First, take a deep breath, flashing lights behind you don’t necessarily mean you are receiving a traffic violation. In fact, a police officer can turn on their lights and signal a driver to pull over in order to alert them to a problem with their vehicle.

In The Event of the Real Thing

However, when you do see the flashing lights behind you, it’s important to follow certain etiquette and protocol to avoid getting more than a traffic ticket because contempt or resisting a police officer is a much more serious charge. You do not want to run the risk of increasing the potential fine you are already courting when the police officer turns on his lights and pulls behind you.

So, remember what you learned in driver’s education training when those lights start flashing behind you, and be sure to obey the following advice:

Continue driving until you find a safe place to stop; never just slam on the brakes.
Be sure to pull your car off to the right, if you need to make a turn to pull into a parking lot for stopping, be sure to signal.
Always signal when you are ready to pull over or off the road
Do not remove your seat belt and do not get out of your car
Keep your hands on the steering wheel at the 10 and 2 positions when the officer approaches the window
When the police officer requests your license, registration, and/or proof of insurance, tell the officer where it is before you reach for it especially if your hands have to go out of sight
Smile, be polite, and listen to the officer. Don’t joke, don’t argue, and don’t get belligerent
If you have passengers in your car, be sure to tell them to be quiet and well-behaved and that they should also keep their hands where they can be seen
If it’s nighttime, turn on the dome light inside your car. if the officer shines a bright light in your face, don’t get combative
If you have to reach into your purse to get anything, open it wide enough that the officer can see inside it
If the officer asks you to step out of the car, cooperate
If you want to debate the offense, be reasonable and never yell

Your Driver’s License, Your Life

If you still end up getting a traffic ticket at the end of the day, you have the option of going to court and fighting it or typically you can take a traffic school course to keep it off your driver’s record. If your traffic ticket is for expired inspection, expired license plates, or other failed paperwork, getting it all up to date and in order before you pay your traffic violation fine may actually get the fine reduced or dismissed.

Teen driving is a privilege — drive safe, and protect your driver’s license and your life.

Receiving a traffic ticket is never a fun experience for a parent or a teenager. What makes it even more difficult is there is rarely a guide to follow that will help you and your teenager understand what happens when they get a traffic ticket. There are many reasons why teen drivers may be issued a ticket, including but not limited to driving in violation of a restriction on their driver’s license, speeding, or failing to produce proof of insurance during a routine traffic stop. As a parent, you will most likely be required to appear with your teen driver in court. In the event that court attendance is mandatory, the best defense is to be prepared.

Consider What It Means To Go To Court

Before you go to court, you should become familiar with the particular law your teen allegedly broke. Research prior cases that are similar to see what the result was of those court cases. There are several resources available online, such as Nolo’s Traffic Tickets guide, that can help you understand the laws and consequences. Depending on how the court hearing goes, your teen may receive points on their driver’s license as well as heavy fines. It’s possible that this ticket could remain on your teen’s driving record and could lead to a suspension. Having a plan and researching before the court will hopefully help make sure that the experience is not negative.

Be Prepared

If your teen plans to contest the ticket, be thoroughly prepared to contest it with documentation as well. Bring a diagram of where the infraction occurred. You can bring case evidence or even a passenger who witnessed your actions. Remember, the police officer who issued the ticket will most likely be there and the officer will have his documentation validating the purpose for issuing the ticket.

If there were traffic cameras available or the officer filmed the infraction, you can demand the right to review that information. Be smart and get that information before your court date. The last thing you need is to be surprised. If it comes down to deciding between your testimony and a police officer’s testimony, chances are the judge is going to rule in favor of the police officer.

What if the Police Officer isn’t there?

If the officer who issued the ticket is not present, there is every chance that the judge will dismiss the ticket if the ticket depends on the officer’s testimony.

If your teen’s driver’s license is restricted and they violated the restriction, that is easily verifiable. It does not require a police officer to be present. If you go through the whole court procedure and your teen is found guilty of the violation, most states won’t let you go to traffic school or defensive driving classes, and your teen will end up paying the fine, getting the points, and having a bad mark on their driving record.

So, if you and your teen driver do decide to go to court, be prepared and understand that actions have consequences. While it is not ideal for your teenager to ever receive a traffic ticket, try to look at this as a learning experience. Many young drivers who receive small moving violation tickets at a young age and face the judge in a courtroom are better and more alert drivers for it. Consider enrolling your teen in a defensive driving course

◉ How Texas Road Rules Just Changed in a Big Way

Tag: traffic ticket