Take your teenager to driving school, or take a class yourself to lower your insurance rates.
A ticket for speeding doesn't have to raise your insurance rates or add points to your driver's license. In fact, it might even make you smile if you take one of the laugh-and-learn Texas Department of Public Safety defensive driving courses. Another thing to smile about? You don't have to be ticketed to take a class and reduce your insurance rates. You can sign up anytime.
Courses offered by independent instructors in Corpus Christi range from online ticket reduction to hands-on driving lessons. You can take your teen for safety classes needed to get a learner's permit or sign up to decrease your insurance rates or take a moving violation off your driving record.
Important things to remember about taking a defensive driving course include:
1. A DPS-approved driving course is cheaper than paying for a ticket, depending on the speed you were driving. The more miles over the speed limit, the steeper the fine.
2. Moving violations are removed from your driving record.
3. Insurance providers reduce your rate by 1-10 percent when you have completed a class, whether or not you have received a ticket.
4. Driving Responsibility Program Points will not be added to your driving record (see additional information, this page.) While anyone can take a class, to reap the above benefits, you must:
• Not have been driving 25 mph or more over the posted speed limit
• be 18 or older
• not hold a Texas commercial driver’s license as CDL holders are not allowed to participate in ticket dismissal benefits
• not have received more than one ticket in a six-month period
• admit you were speeding and plead guilty
• take the class by the established deadline, usually three months from receipt of the ticket
Whatever reason for taking the class, your driving will benefit. You learn:
• about new laws in effect since you received your driver’s license
• how to preventing accidents through defensive driving
• of the increased risks of driving tired or under emotional stress
To check your own driving record, log onto the Texas DPS website Texas.gov and click on Driver Records in the left-hand column.
