Traffic fine schedules, and their application by law enforcement, can vary greatly in Texas. Simply put, each county can (and often does) charge different amounts for the same driving infraction, and its enforcement can vary from officer to officer. In Austin, Texas, for example, the fee for driving from 1 to 5 miles per hour over the posted limit is between $143 and $164 (not including fines issued in school or construction zones, or involving a collision or alcohol). Conversely, in Houston, those fines start at $170.

For a complete listing of fines, visit your municipal court website.

Common Driving Myth and Reality

A common myth suggests that law enforcement officers do not ticket drivers for traveling less than 6 miles an hour over the posted limit on highways, interstates and freeways — which is wholly untrue, as many Texans have come to learn. Although traffic tickets for drivers going 5 miles an hour or less over the posted speed limit are not common, they do occur.

In fact, there is an direct correlation between the number of citations handed out and the unemployment rate. According to a March 2010 report in USA Today, as the economy continues it’s sluggish and uncertain drudge forward, the speed ‘cushion’ (the speed at which officers will typically tolerate a driver going over the limit) diminishes greatly. Combined with more drivers on the road at different times of the day, municipalities and cities apply more aggressive ticketing rules as a way to help increase revenues. With congress in a stall-mate and further cuts to local and government budgets expected for 2012, drivers are likely to see an increase in that unfavorable combination of red and blue on the roads.

Defensive Driving to Dismiss Tickets

If you find yourself with a speeding ticket, you can register and take an texas defensive driving online course or (also known as online traffic school courses) to dismiss the ticket from your record. Attending an online driver safety course can, in most cases, result in as much as a 10 percent discount on auto insurance. To find out if you qualify, ask your insurance agent if they offer a ‘safe driver discount’ for attending a state-approved, online defensive driving course.

A common myth amongst drivers suggests that a driver who has taken defensive driving to enjoy their insurance discount is then not eligible to take the course to dismiss a ticket. Drivers can use the course for both, regardless of whether they’ve already taken the course for either. In most states, however, a driver cannot take defensive driving to dismiss traffic tickets specifically more than once every 12-24 months (it varies by state).