So you just got pulled over and immediately start to panic as police sirens are blaring and lights are vigorously flashing from the rearview mirror. Were you speeding? Broken tail light? Swerving? As the officer approaches your car, you realize a potential high-price traffic ticket will soon follow. Traffic tickets are overwhelmingly frustrating because many people are unsure of the law when it comes to these incidents. We want you to know exactly how they work and what you need to know if you ever have the displeasure of being in this situation in the state of Texas.

What is Reasonable Suspicion?

Reasonable suspicion is what an officer needs to lawfully institute a traffic stop. While this term may lack a definite explanation, small incidents such as failing to use your blinker or incorrectly changing lanes is enough for an officer of the law to pull you over.

Officers need probable cause.

If you’re ordered to step out of your car by an officer, you must comply. However, the officer needs probable cause to enter your vehicle. You have the right to say no to an officer asking to search your vehicle without a search warrant. If an officer proceeds to search your vehicle without a warrant, this act is an illegal search. Call BCP at (830) 769-1010 immediately to handle this case for you.

Seeing the red and blue flashing lights behind you is a situation that every driver hopes to avoid. You slow down, pull over to the side of the road, and hope that you do not receive a high-priced ticket. What many people fail to realize is that paying a large fee is not the only legal consequence of a traffic violation, and in many cases, even those who do not receive a ticket may still face penalties or consequences to their driving records.

What Is the “Point System?”

Every Texas traffic violation is put on record and has “points” attached to it. The more serious the violation, the higher the points. Unlike many states, Texas only has two categories of violations that determine the number of points. Any Texas or out-of-state traffic conviction will warrant two points added to the driver’s record and any Texas or out-of-state conviction resulting in a collision will result in three points. These numbers may sound low; however, even having two points on your record can translate to financial consequences such as higher insurance premium rates.