You’re returning from a perfect weekend getaway, and a trooper nabs you while you’re still out of state.

Do you admit guilt, drop the payment envelope in the mail, and have it be history…or do you throw it in the trash and hope it just goes away?

Neither, exactly. And just to clear up some misconceptions, this is definitely not a case of, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”

If you understood the massive stakes involved, you’d do your research, maybe hire an attorney, and even if you have a clean record do your best to have the ticket reduced or, better yet, thrown out.

The days of speeding tickets simply going away, even if they’re out-of-state, are long gone. And it’s important you do something about it because a speeding ticket can come back to haunt you for years, in ways that you probably hadn’t thought possible.

Unseen affects, budget-hemorrhaging results

Most drivers know that having speeding tickets on their record will raise their auto insurance rates, but few are aware that, depending on where they live, it can affect them in a myriad of other ways, seemingly unrelated to driving. Like when you apply to get a new life insurance policy, to insure a boat, or even to apply for a business loan.

This could mean thousands of dollars. And that’s even before considering that an unsettled ticket could find its way to your credit score to wreak further havoc.

Technically, if you’re a repeat speeder, you’re risky business, and that risk might apply to other aspects of your life—or so say the actuaries, those who arrive at the methodology that takes all those seemingly insignificant factors in your profile, weighs them with factors like your driving record, and determines whether or not you’re high risk. Simply put, whether to charge you a few hundred dollars or a couple thousand on your next insurance premium is a matter of calculated risk.

The business of risk

If you’re one to argue that speeding doesn’t necessarily place you at a higher risk, you’re not going to find much sympathy from insurance companies. As they’re in the business of risk, they raise rates because with habitual speeding comes a much greater chance of injury, property damage, or death. Excessive speed is attributed in the worst, most costly accidents. In about one third of all fatal crashes, 26 percent of injury accidents, and 15 percent of property-damage-only accidents, speed is a factor. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), more than 1,000 Americans die every month due to speed-related crashes. Read the rest of this entry »

What to do after a crash? Most of us try not to think about that sort of thing; but, if you ARE involved in a collision, knowing what to do can prevent a lot of headache and hassle.

First, check to see where you and your car have come to rest. If you are in a safe spot, free from the danger of being hit by other traffic, exit your vehicle and assess the situation. Is anyone injured? If people are hurt, tend to their injuries as best you know how, and call 911.

If no one is hurt, and damage to your car is relatively minor, move your vehicle out of the roadway to a safer location, so you don’t block traffic, and perhaps cause more wrecks. Now, you can exchange names, addresses, phone numbers, car license numbers, VIN numbers, insurance information, and driver’s license info. If, for some reason, you are concerned about the validity of the information you are getting from the other driver, don’t hesitate to call the police. Although a police report is not necessary to file insurance claims in most instances, it won’t hurt to get an official report written if something seems a little sketchy.

In addition, be sure to get the names, addresses, and phone numbers of any witnesses. Also, note the location of the crash, including the numbered address, and nearest cross streets. If the vehicles cannot be moved, protect the scene with flares or other devices, and open the hoods of both cars.

Here’s the law in Texas regarding what to do in the event of a crash:

Read the rest of this entry »

Department of Public Safety troopers pulling people over for traffic violations are now using high-tech software to check if drivers are insured.

An estimated one-in-five drivers in Texas is uninsured. It’s a problem troopers say is both costly and illegal.

Thursday, Trooper Robbie Barrera pulled people over and checked their insurance status using brand new technology called TexasSure. It’s a vehicle insurance verification database.

Barrera stopped Sarah Male for speeding. “I was going 70. I thought the sign said 60. I got a warning. It’s O.K.”, she said.

Barrera ran her license plate through the new database. It matches registered vehicles with personal auto insurance information. Luckily for Sarah, she’s covered.

“Yes I have insurance,” she said. “I wouldn’t drive without it because it’s the safe thing and the legal thing to do.

Texas insurance companies submit insurance information to the database. Troopers say many times, uninsured drivers carry fraudulent insurance cards. Before TexasSure, it was difficult to validate the cards. The only way we could confirm is Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. when we can call the insurance companies directly, Barrera said.

Troopers can use TexasSure anytime.

Drivers caught without insurance can get a $350 ticket, including hundreds of dollars in court costs. Repeat offenders could lose their driver’s license for up to 2 years.

Source: Four Points Media Group LLC.