Dismiss Your Ticket: How a Texas Driving Course Can Help

Getting your first ticket in Texas can be stressful. It’s always overwhelming to end up on the wrong side of the law, especially for first-timers. But the good news is the consequences aren’t as severe as you may think. And you don’t need an attorney to dismiss your ticket.

A Texas ticket dismissal driving course is all you need to do it yourself. In this article, learn how to dismiss your ticket in Texas in a few easy steps.

Start With Why You Got Ticketed

To dismiss your ticket, you need a good understanding of why you got ticketed in the first place.  Know that tickets aren’t guilt certificates. An officer doesn’t pronounce you guilty on the spot. They’re simply alleging that a traffic violation has occurred.

In Texas, traffic violations encompass a wide range of behaviors, from minor infractions to more serious offenses. The latter often results in arrest. Let’s delve deeper into these scenarios to provide a comprehensive understanding.

Minor Traffic Violations

• Speeding: Exceeding the posted speed limit is one of the most common traffic violations in Texas. Depending on the degree of speeding, you may receive a citation without being arrested. However, excessive speeding or speeding in a designated construction or school zone can result in heightened penalties.
• Running Red Lights or Stop Signs: If you fail to obey traffic signals such as red lights or stop signs, it’ll typically result in a ticket. The circumstances surrounding the violation may influence whether you are subject to arrest. For example, if the violation leads to an accident causing injury or property damage, law enforcement may opt to make an arrest.
• Failure to Yield: Not yielding the right of way when required, such as at a yield sign or when merging onto a highway, can lead to a ticket. However, unless the failure to yield results in a more serious incident, it usually does not lead to arrest.
• Distracted Driving: Using a cell phone or engaging in other distracting activities while driving is illegal in Texas. Typically, this offense results in a ticket, but repeat offenses or instances where distracted driving leads to an accident can escalate the consequences.

Serious Traffic Offenses Leading to Arrest

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI): Operating a vehicle while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs is a serious offense in Texas and can result in arrest. Law enforcement will most certainly detain individuals suspected of DUI for further testing. If found to be over the legal limit, they can be arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated.
• Reckless Driving: Reckless driving involves operating a vehicle with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of others. This can include excessive speeding, aggressive lane changes, or other dangerous behaviors. In Texas, reckless driving can result in arrest, particularly if it leads to accidents or endangers other motorists.
• Driving with a Revoked or Suspended License: Driving with a revoked or suspended license is another serious offense that can result in arrest. If you are caught driving with a suspended license, law enforcement may arrest you and impound your vehicle.
• Hit and Run: Leaving the scene of an accident without stopping to exchange information or render aid is a criminal offense in Texas. If you are involved in a hit-and-run incident, law enforcement may arrest you for fleeing the scene, especially if the accident resulted in injuries or significant property damage.

So, understand why you got ticketed. The officer will most likely explain the exact reasons. Also, you can find the details in the ticket itself. Learn more about the alleged offense and proceed to the next steps.

Eligibility for Ticket Dismissal

Not all tickets are eligible for dismissal, and eligibility criteria may vary depending on factors such as the nature of the violation and your driving record. Minor traffic violations such as speeding or running a stop sign may be eligible for dismissal, while more serious offenses may require additional steps or legal proceedings.

So, the next step is to check if you’re eligible. Some of the requirements are:

• For speeding tickets, your driving speed was no more than 25 mph of the permissible limit
• You were driving a non-commercial vehicle
• You haven’t finished a defensive driving course in Texas in the past year
• Your Texas driving license is valid
• You opted for the “no contest plea” (note that you have the option to contest the ticket in court)

The criteria will vary depending on the offense. So check the eligibility before proceeding.

Take a Texas Ticket Dismissal Driving Course in Texas to Dismiss Tickets

The process of dismissing a ticket starts with taking a defensive driving course.  The course is mandated by law for those who received a ticket in Texas and want it dismissed. The course refreshes your knowledge of traffic laws and regulations, including right-of-way rules, proper stopping procedures, and navigating intersections safely.

A Texas ticket dismissal driving course encompasses a wide array of topics, such as:

• Texas Traffic Laws: A thorough examination of the statutes and regulations governing traffic in the state of Texas, ensuring participants are well-versed in their legal obligations as drivers.
• Defensive Driving Strategies: In-depth exploration of defensive driving techniques aimed at anticipating and mitigating potential hazards on the road. This includes strategies for maintaining safe following distances, scanning for potential dangers, and recognizing and responding to aggressive or reckless driving behaviors.
• Risk Management: Analysis of common risk factors and scenarios encountered while driving, along with strategies for minimizing risk and maximizing safety in various driving environments.
• Impaired and Distracted Driving: Education on the dangers of impaired driving (e.g., driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs) and distracted driving (e.g., texting while driving), along with strategies for avoiding these hazardous behaviors.
• Collision Avoidance: Instruction on effective techniques for avoiding collisions, including proper braking, evasive maneuvering, and maintaining control of the vehicle in emergencies.
• Roadway Etiquette: Guidance on courteous and respectful driving practices, including yielding the right of way, navigating intersections safely, and sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists, and other motorists.

While the exact duration of the course varies, you can expect to complete it in 6-7 hours, depending on how easily you can consume the content.

Once completed, you will receive a certificate of completion.

You’ll need to submit this certificate to the court that issued the ticket by the deadline specified on your citation. This deadline is typically around 10 days after course completion, but it can vary.

The court will then review your certificate and determine if the violation qualifies for dismissal based on their policies and the severity of the offense.

If approved, you will have your ticket dismissed within 24 – 48 hours. This also means the violation won’t go into your driving record, and you likely won’t have to pay the fine.

However, if the court denies dismissal, the original traffic violation and its associated consequences will still stand. You may be required to pay the fine or appear in court to challenge it further. Then, you’d have to hire an attorney to help you out.

But in most cases, for minor offenses, drivers have the tickets dismissed.

Get Your Ticket Dismissed Now!

For the best chance of dismissal, take the Texas defensive driving online course that imparts thorough knowledge. In our TDLR-approved Texas ticket dismissal driving course, you will receive both video and audio formats that allow you to gain a deeper knowledge, which increases your dismissal chance. Contact us today to learn more.