What to do when being Pulled Over in Texas

Most have had the adrenaline rushing, heart pounding experience of seeing those flashing lights in our rear-view mirror. There is a tendency to have a bit of a panic attack, and begin questioning just what you did wrong. Perhaps you already know what you did wrong, and you have a sense of anger that you got caught. Either way, there are things you should and should not do when getting pulled over in Texas Remember, an officer is trained to be ready for anything during a traffic stop, so he will be ready for the worse. With that thought in mind, here are a few things you can do to have your stop go smoothly.
  • Stay calm. Well, as calm as you can.
  • Slow down and turn on your turn signal to pull over. This lets the police know that you have seen the lights, you’ve acknowledged them and you intend to pull over soon.
  • Pull over in the first safe area.
  • Stay in your vehicle unless asked to step out.
  • Listen to all instructions given by the officer, and be polite.
  • Keep your hands visible, preferably on top of the steering wheel. The exception of course, would be when getting your driver’s license or other paperwork as requested.
  • Be more than polite. Be over polite. Be exceptionally polite.
  • If you haven’t considered being polite, please do so.
  • Don’t refuse to sign a ticket. Signing the ticket does NOT constitute admission of any guilt, it just states that the officer handed you the ticket. You are acknowledging the ticket, not admitting guilt.
  • Avoid the temptation to speed off, burn rubber, or offer the officer any hand or finger gestures as thanks.

Have you gotten a traffic ticket or citation in Texas?

The officer may have told you your options or it will be on your citation. You must respond with your intentions to the court within ten days. Depending on your situation, there may be a great way to get that ticket dismissed and eliminate the points from your driver’s license. Texas may allow you to take a state approved traffic school. This not only allows for you to put a driving problem behind you, but it can allow you to take an online course to comply. Improv Driving School is a fun, entertaining way to complete an online defensive driving course that that will eliminate points at a very affordable price. By successfully completing an online traffic course from a Texas approved traffic school, your driving record may stay intact. If you or someone you know has the option of taking an online course to minimize the damage to a driving record from a traffic ticket, an online traffic school can be a smart choice. A traffic ticket can ruin your day but it doesn’t necessarily have to ruin your Texas driving record or lead to increased insurance costs. The easiest way to expunge the ticket is through an online defensive driving course for Texas.

Texas Traffic Surcharges

If you drive in Texas you’ll want to be aware of the Texas penalty system for drivers who have frequent or serious violations. This surcharge system adds fines to your traffic ticket that can last for a long period of time. These surcharges can be added to violations that range from a Driving While Intoxicated or Driving Under the Influence to operating a vehicle without proper licensure or insurance. Accumulating too many points on your driving record may also be cause for these punitive surcharges. It is also why if you can eliminate ANY points by attending a defensive driving course or traffic school, you should take the opportunity. The low costs and ease of an online traffic school can help minimize your driving record points and insurance costs low. With surcharges that start at $25 per year and can reach into the thousands of dollars, it is easy to see how traffic school can save you your hard earned cash.

Avoid Becoming a Habitual Violator

Texas is particular strict with habitual traffic violators. If you get 4 moving violations in a year, or 7 in a two year period you will likely have your driving privileges suspended. Again, this is another reason for attending traffic school like Improv Traffic School to keep the violations and points to a minimum. Getting a traffic ticket is never pleasant, no matter what state you are driving in. If you do get a violation in Texas, know that attending traffic school may be an option. Read more about Texas traffic offenses from the Texas Department of Public Safety website. traffic tickets in texas
Top