Texas Traffic Ticket Defense FAQs

If you have a traffic ticket, you may be tempted to simply pay it. Please note that in the State of Texas, simply paying a ticket is an admission of guilt. The Court will report the offense to DPS as a conviction on your driving record. This may result in increased automobile insurance premiums or possible license suspension depending on the circumstances. Below are some of the common questions about Texas traffic ticket violations.

Yes. The Court must give the Department of Public Safety all conviction records which involve operating a motor vehicle in the State. So, most traffic violations will appear on your record, and points will be assessed.

All traffic citations have an Appearance Date. All Courts have different time frames in which to timely respond to an alleged offense. If you miss the appearance date, a warrant may be issued for your arrest. In addition, you may also receive a subsequent offense – a Failure to Appear or a Violate Promise to Appear. Contact our law firm. ANDERSON & ANDERSON, LLP can help.

No. It would seem that simply paying the fine is the right thing to do; however, in the State of Texas this will result in a conviction. Contact ANDERSON & ANDERSON, LLP for advice on how to proceed.

In the interest of keeping track of driver behavior, the DPS Driver Responsibility Program assesses points for each moving violation – two points for any in-state and our-of-state conviction and three points for a conviction resulting in a crash. The points remain on your driving record for three years from the date of the conviction.  When a certain number of points are accumulated, the driver will face a driver license suspension.

Not all traffic violations lead to points.  If you receive a ticket for travelling 10 mph or less over the posted speed limit or a seat belt violation, you will not incur any points.