Overview
You are eligible to take a Defensive Driving Class if you have a valid Texas driver's license and if you are charged with a traffic offense for a moving violation under the traffic code. Your oral or written request to take a Driving Safety Course must be received by the court on or before your appearance date on the ticket.
At the time of the request, you must do the following:
- Present proof of financial responsibility (liability insurance)
- Plead guilty or nolo contendere; and
- Pay court costs and an administrative fee.
Prosecution of the traffic offense will be postponed for 90 days to allow you time to complete the course and return to the court proof of completion. You are required to attend a course which has been approved by the Texas Education Agency.
Prior to the end of the 90-day period, you must present to the court a certified copy of your driving record from the Department of Public Safety and a certificate from the driving school showing proof of course completion. If you do not, the court will send you a notice requiring you to return to court and explain why you failed to show proof of completion. If you do not appear at that time, a judgment in the amount of $200 will be taken against you, a Failure to Appear charge will be filed and a warrant will be issued for your arrest.
If you take a Driving Safety Course and comply with the other terms of your deferral, the ticket will not appear on your driving record and should not cause your insurance premiums to increase.
Eligibility
You are eligible to request this course if you:
- Have not requested and taken a driving safety course for a traffic offense within the 12 months immediately preceding the alleged violation date;
- Are not currently taking the course for another traffic violation; and
- Have not committed the offense of speeding 25 mph over the speed limit.
If you have taken a Driving Safety Course within the preceding year or were traveling more than 25 miles per hour over the speed limit, you may ask the Court for permission to take a Driving Safety Course in an attempt to keep your driving record clean.