Is defensive driving the best option for a traffic ticket in Texas?

Many people ask the question if they would be better off just paying the fine rather than taking a Texas defensive driving course (online or classroom).  My answer to that question is that in most cases it is always best to keep your driver record clean if you have the option.  So if you are not familiar with the process, in Texas when you get a traffic ticket, you will be given a court date which you must appear in person or contact the court on or before that date to either dispute the ticket or let them know if you plan to just pay the fine, take a driver safety course (a.k.a defensive driving), or take some other action.  Many people choose the defensive driving course option, but lets see why this is probably the smartest choice.  If you pay the fine, then that traffic citation will go onto your driver record.  This is not a huge deal if you only have one ticket on your record, but if you are unfortunate enough to get multiple citations in short amount of time, or you were to be involved in a crash and you have tickets on your driver record you can accumulate points that could trigger insurance premium increases or surcharges from the State.  For this reason, I always advocate taking a Texas defensive driving course if eligible to keep your driver record clean.  This way you are as far away as possible from ever experiencing this expensive premium increases or surcharges.  It is also worth mentioning that in most cases, even though you will still be required to pay a Court fee when you choose defensive driving to take care of your ticket, it is still usually less expensive than paying for the ticket. 

For many folks, it is not about the money, it is more about the time.  Since online courses are now approved in Texas, this is less of an issue since the course is available 24 hours  a day and you can log in and out at your convenience so that the course will fit into your schedule.   It is for this reason that everyone should check out a state approved Texas defensive driving online course option, such as the one offered by Driver Training Associates, Inc.

When searching for institutes teaching defensive driving, Texas driving students who elect to go with Driver Training Associates and their convenient online training programs and solutions can benefit from the added convenience that comes from being able to complete one’s training online and according to one’s schedule.

The company’s online courses are fully approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and have helped millions of Texans with their defensive-driving education requirements since the 1970s.

DTA’s online defensive driving course allows students who take it to fully dismiss traffic tickets for which the normal adjudication process requires a six-hour driving course. But in addition to fulfilling the course requirements for defensive driving in Texas, students can also enjoy two added benefits. These are a three-year 10% discount on their auto insurance, and the completion (on a voluntary basis) of the Drug and Alcohol Driving Awareness Program for an even higher insurance discount of 15%.

“You mean this isn’t the DMV?”

That’s a question we hear quite a bit at Driver Training Associates.  So why do people think that we’re the DMV?  It must be because we provide traffic school, driver education, and license reinstatement courses.  We’re not exactly sure why so many people assume that traffic schools and other similar programs are run by the state Department of Motor Vehicles, but hopefully this article will set the record straight on that subject. Read the rest of this entry

Defensive driving courses in Texas started out for insurance discount purposes only.  Eventually, it was written in the law where Texas drivers had the option to take a TEA approved driver safety course (a.k.a. defensive driving) to keep a traffic ticket off of their driving record.  The benefit to selecting this option is that it keeps users from accumulating points which can cost them significantly financially in the event of multiple tickets or accidents in the form of DPS or insurance surcharges. Read the rest of this entry

It is never a good feeling when you see those flashing red lights in your rear view mirror.  Now what do you do? The process can be a bit confusing, but if you make the smart move and choose to take a defensive driving course to keep the violation off your record this guide will help simplify things: Read the rest of this entry

You might not have ever heard of “DADAP,” but this course is a little-known way for Texas drivers to earn an automatic 5% discount off their automobile insurance. Everyone is looking for ways to cut expenses these days, and this is an excellent way to do it. Read the rest of this entry