Texas Defensive Driving Information
Arlington Traffic Violations
Driving in Arlington can try one’s patience. The Tom Landry freeway can feel like a zoo some days, and when you finally do get a chance to get out of traffic, speed traps await! If you are pulled over in Arlington for a traffic violation, a Arlington law enforcement officer will likely issue you a citation. This citation will include contact information for the Arlington court handling your ticket. Perhaps you want to show up in court to defend your driving honor, or maybe you just want to pay your fine and forget the unpleasant experience ever happened. Either way, you must contact the Arlington court and disclose your decision in ten days or less. Don’t forget or much heavier penalties are in store, in addition to your citation fine.
If you want to pay the ticket, the Arlington court handling your violation will tell you what payment methods you can use when you call in, as Tarrant County courts may not all accept the same forms of payment. If your violation is severe or you are under 18, the Arlington court may inform you that your appearance in court is required. In that event, your court date will likely be on the citation. If it isn’t, ask the Arlington court for your court date, and save it. You may need it should you decide to enroll in a defensive driving program.
Arlington Driver Responsibility Program
You may also incur points against your Texas driving record under the Texas Responsibility Program if you have to pay the citation fine. Certain violations like speeding by less than ten percent of the posted speed limit or failing to buckle up will not result in point accumulation. Most violations, however, do. When you commit a traffic violation, the Texas Department of Public Safety adds two points to your Texas driving record. A third point is added if your violation causes an accident. These points will also be attached if you obtain a citation in another state that would have resulted in points being placed on your record had it been received in Texas.
In addition, if you drive under the influence, fail to obtain auto insurance or drive without a license, you will be assessed "Conviction Based Surcharges." These fines are large and levied on you every year the offense remains on your driving record, up to three years! Whatever reason you may have to violate one of these laws, it’s short sighted at best. It may seem convenient at the time to drive for a while on an expired license. Whether it’s work, school, sports or social plans, your schedule can fill up quickly and heading out to the DPS office on West Arkansas Lane to renew an old license may throw a wrench on your plans you would simply like to put off for a while. But when you are pulled over Pioneer Parkway and the Arlington law enforcement officer finds out your license expired six months ago, the convenience you’d been enjoying will quickly turn into a nasty fine, a possible suspension of your driving privileges and Texas DPS fines to the tune of thousand dollars for the next three years! Suddenly, what seemed convenient is a nightmare.
Suspension of Texas Driving Privileges
Failing to learn from your driving mistakes has consequences. Amass six points on your Texas driving record within three years and the Texas DPS will suspend your license. Even if you manage to avoid the point accumulation for minor infractions, but you obtain four traffic violations in a yea, or seven in two years, your Texas driving privileges will still be suspended. If you are a juvenile driver under the age of 18, just two traffic violations in one year will result in a temporary suspension of your Texas driving privileges. Again, these violations will include any citations you received outside the state.
Before you know it, the accumulated cost of poor driving decisions becomes overwhelming. In addition to citation fines, the cost of living without your driving privileges, court fees and possible Conviction Based Surcharges on your Texas driver record, you’re likely to sustain significant fines associated with getting your license reinstated. It’s in the best interest of your time, wallet and state of mind that you avoid accumulating traffic violations on your Texas driver record. When mistakes do occur, GetDefensive.com can help you keep your record clean.
Arlington Defensive Driving Programs
Thankfully, the Texas Education Agency allows Arlington drivers to enroll in a driver safety program, including online defensive driving courses offered by Getdefensive.com, to have as much as one ticket per year removed from their Texas Department of Public Safety driving record. In order to take a defensive driving course to have a ticket removed, you must first obtain permission from the Arlington court overseeing your violation.
The court's approval will rest on factors such as the number of times you’ve attended an Arlington driver safety school or participated in an Arlington defensive driving program and how many violations are already on your Texas driving record. If you’re explaining to a court why you were pulled over for speeding on the 360 for the 3rd time in a year, however, it will be tough to convince a venerable Tarrant County court judge that another shot at traffic school is really what you need. Further, if you have committed a more serious offense, such as fleeing the scene of an accident, a court will likely not offer you any such chance. However, usually you will be permitted to attend traffic school, and Arlington online defensive driving programs like GetDefensive.com will remove the underlying offense from your Texas driving record.
Arlington Insurance Discounts
Participating in a Arlington online driver safety program through Getdefensive.com keeps points off your driving record and helps you avoid fines that come along with traffic tickets. But an online defensive driving program also teaches valuable safe driving skills that will help you steer clear of costly accidents and traffic violations in the future. A sterling Texas driving record can also mean more lenient alternatives in the event you should find yourself involved in a future incident and appealing to a Arlington court.
Your Texas driving record has a significant impact on your Arlington insurance costs. Traffic violations are passed on from the Texas DPS to insurance providers, which in turn raise insurance premiums for unsafe drivers. While Texas law protects you from having your rates raised simply for paying a traffic citation, this protection only extends so far. After three citations your insurance can be cancelled, along with any hope of finding new insurance with similar premiums. It is best to keep your driving record clean always to avoid these unfortunate consequences.
Arlington Mature Driver and Arlington Juvenile Driver Insurance Discounts
In addition to keeping your insurance premiums low, many auto insurers provide discounts for safe drivers. One way to show a safe driving record is to participate in Getdefensive.com's online defensive driving program. For Arlington drivers over the age of 55 and drivers under the age of 18, many auto insurers provide additional insurance reductions, specifically to promote safe driving techniques and defensive driving skills in drivers who are statistically more likely to commit traffic violations. If you are a mature driver of the age of 55, a juvenile driver under the age of 18 or a parent of a juvenile driver, you should reach out to your auto insurance provider to find out if an online driver safety program will help you secure insurance discounts, in addition to helping you learn defensive driving techniques that will allow you to avoid accidents or violations in the future.
Arlington Classroom Traffic Schools
Getdefensive.com offers home-study Texas defensive driving course in a variety of mediums, including online, DVD and streaming video defensive driving courses which can be viewed on your home computer. All of these will help you obtain insurance reductions, ensure ticket dismissals, and have points removed from your Texas driving record.
However, you may feel more comfortable learning in a traditional classroom setting than taking a driver safety program from the comfort of your own home. If you are interested in participating in a defensive driving program to lower insurance costs, help get a ticket dismissed from your driver record or to fulfill a Arlington court order, just call a Tarrant County court today and they will be happy to provide you with a list of brick and mortar traffic schools in and around Arlington when you call in to discuss your citation.