New to Texas? Just received your first ticket as a Lone Star resident? Here are a few things that you might not know about tickets in Texas:

You Can Fight a Red Light Ticket

Texas is one of the 12 states (as of the time of this writing) that uses red light cameras. If you got a ticket for cruising through a redlight, and you're pretty sure that it wasn't you in that video, there are defenses that can be exercised against the ticket, including the following:

  • Obscured License Plate

Red light cameras look for license plates, and a number of factors may contribute to an obscured license plate. If the plate is out of focus, for instance, then it's hard to prove that it's your car. If another car is in frame, then the camera may be picking up the wrong license plate. A smudged lens or bad weather conditions may also contribute to an obscured license plate.

  • Out of Date Cameras

This is a less obvious defense, but if the camera that allegedly caught you speeding is out of date or uses out of date parts then you may have a shot at fighting your ticket in court.

You Can Have a Ticket Dismissed With a Texas Defensive Driving Class

This isn't true in every instance, but if you know that they have you dead to rights, you might be able to have a ticket dismissed by offering to take a class on defensive driving in Texas. It is, of course, at the judge's discretion whether or not you can get away with taking a class instead of paying the ticket. Of course, taking a class on defensive driving in Texas is just a good idea anyways, as they will help you to learn how to stay out of trouble with the law on Texas roads.

As long as you're a safe driver and keep a fairly clean record, dealing with a ticket in Texas shouldn't be so hard. Although there are many laws that are specific to Texas, and some that don't apply here at all, the state has more in common than not with the rest of the country when it comes to traffic law.

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