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Going to defensive driving school in Texas is a great way to get a traffic citation or ticket dismissed and potentially save a lot of money. Of course, these kinds of driving courses taught by expert instructors can have plenty of other benefits too. This article will highlight a few of the best reasons to take a defensive driving course in Texas and where you can sign up.

Why Would I Take a Defensive Driving Course in Texas?

Defensive driving courses in Texas offer a wide range of benefits at typically low prices. The best part is, in many cases, successful completion of a state-approved defensive driving course can result in the dismissal of your traffic ticket. In other words, a $50 course can sometimes save you thousands of dollars in fines, fees, and insurance increases.

The three main benefits of taking defensive driving courses in Texas are as follows:

Dismissal of Traffic Citations

First and foremost, the best benefit of going to defensive driving school in Texas is that it can result in the dismissal of a Texas traffic ticket. After you successfully complete the course and submit your certificate of completion to the court, the court will review your record to determine whether to dismiss your outstanding traffic ticket.

It’s important to note that the person who received the ticket must be the person who registers for the course. If a friend or family member registers for the course for you, their name will appear on the certificate of completion, which means you will not get credit for the course.

Learn Better Driving Techniques

The point of defensive driving schools is—you guessed it—to teach students how to drive defensively. That means learning things like how to better follow the rules of the road, protect yourself from aggressive drivers, and more. The exact subject matter covered in your class will depend on the provider you choose to enroll with, but these are a few things that you can expect to learn in a Texas defensive driving course.

Lower Your Insurance Premium

Car insurance providers tend to love safe drivers—and what better way to prove that you’re a safe driver than by successfully completing a state-approved defensive driving course?

Successfully completing a state-approved defensive driving course will earn you a certificate of completion. Sending that certificate of completion to your car insurance provider can sometimes convince them to reduce your insurance rates by upward of 5%.

Eligible Violations

Unfortunately, not every traffic violation is eligible for dismissal after completing a defensive driving course. On top of that, you cannot take a defensive driving course at all if you’ve already taken one within the last 12 months or are currently taking a course for another violation. 

Here’s a list of violations that are not eligible for dismissal through defensive driving school:

• Speeding by 25 miles per hour or more.
• Leaving the scene of an accident (hit and run).
• Any violation occurring in a construction zone.
• Failure to maintain financial responsibility (failure to keep adequate car insurance).
• Passing a school bus.
• Any violation being charged to your commercial driver license (CDL).

Best Driving Texas

There are countless defensive driving schools in Texas, but only a few of them can be considered the best of the best. Those top-of-the-line driving schools are listed below:

Aceable

Aceable is a “quick, affordable, & convenient” defensive driving course offered as part of the state Department of Licensing and Regulation’s (TDLR’s) driver education programs. The company offers a highly-rated app that even enables you to complete the program from your smartphone for a truly modern experience.

iDriveSafely

IDriveSafely is one of the few defensive driving programs in Texas that you are guaranteed to pass. Not only is there no final exam, it is the shortest course available under state law and its teachers are determined to help you out every step of the way. This makes it an incredibly easy-to-pass and successful course.

Approved Course

Approved Course is one of the lowest-priced and most affordable defensive driving courses in the state. At only $25, this entirely online course enables you to have eligible tickets dismissed for a miniscule fraction of the fine.

Go To Traffic School

Go To Traffic School is one of the largest online traffic schools in the country, offering services in more than 25 states and thousands of courthouses. As long as you have a computer, tablet, or smartphone with Internet access, you can complete this course from anywhere in the world.

Improv Traffic School

Improv Traffic School teaches its students all about how to avoid car accidents, what to do in the immediate aftermath of a car accident, and more. The education provided in this course is guaranteed to help you learn how to become a better, safer driver.

Get Defensive

Get Defensive offers traffic ticket dismissal courses in both English and Spanish as well as other courses for obtaining insurance discounts and passing fleet training requirements. Whether you’re looking to get a ticket dismissed, pay less for car insurance, or get a new job as a driver, this defensive driving school has a program for you.

A Sense Of Humor Defensive Driving Course

A Sense of Humor Defensive Driving Course’s online classes are designed to be as funny and enjoyable as possible. The writers and teachers behind this defensive driving school’s curriculum pride themselves on adding a bit of humor to an otherwise boring and stressful time. Nobody likes tickets, but everybody likes a good joke.

How Often Can I Take a Defensive Driving Class in Texas?

How often you can take a defensive driving class in Texas depends on why you are taking the course. The timeline will vary depending on whether you are taking the course to have a traffic ticket dismissed or to obtain a discount on your car insurance premiums.

Traffic Ticket Dismissal

When looking to get a traffic ticket dismissed, you can take a defensive driving course once every year. As long as at least 12 full months have passed since the last time you took a defensive driving course, you can take one again.

Auto Insurance Insurance Discounts

How often you can take a defensive driving course to reduce your insurance premiums depends on your insurance provider. To find out what that timeframe is, contact your insurance provider. In general, insurance companies will accept these classes for discounts once every three years.