Last Updated on June 9, 2025 by Beltz Law Group
Royse City Speeding Tickets and Driver’s License Suspensions: Avoiding the “Habitual Violator” Trap
Speeding Ticket Defense Attorney
We recently assisted a client facing a driver’s license suspension hearing initiated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Our client had been labeled a “habitual bad driver,” and all the violations leading to this designation were for speeding tickets. This real-world scenario underscores a critical point: simply paying off speeding tickets in Royse City, Texas, is not a true resolution. It can have severe, long-lasting consequences, including the suspension of your driving privileges.
This article outlines the importance of actively contesting speeding tickets and how Beltz Law Group can help you avoid being designated a habitual violator. If you would like to discuss your speeding tickets in Royse City, Texas, with our experienced team of attorneys and legal assistants, feel free to contact our office today at 214-321-4105.
The “Habitual Violator” Definition in Texas Law
The Texas Transportation Code, specifically Section 521.292, empowers the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to suspend a person’s driver’s license if they are determined to be a “habitual violator of the traffic laws.”
For the purposes of this statute, a person is considered a habitual violator if they have:
- Four or more convictions that arise out of different transactions in a 12-consecutive-month period, OR
- Seven or more convictions that arise out of different transactions in a 24-month period.
Royse City Ticket Defense Lawyer
These convictions must be for “moving violations.” Speeding tickets are quintessential moving violations and are routinely reported to DPS by municipal courts like Royse City Municipal Court.
Important Note on the Driver Responsibility Program: It’s worth noting that the old Driver Responsibility Program (DRP), which assessed surcharges based on points or certain convictions, was repealed effective September 1, 2019. This means you no longer face state surcharges for accumulating points. However, the underlying authority of DPS to suspend your license for being a habitual violator based on multiple moving violation convictions remains fully intact under Transportation Code Section 521.292.
Why Paying Off a Speeding Ticket is a Trap
The client in the introductory story made a common mistake: every time he received a speeding ticket, he simply went to the court and paid the fine. While this might seem like the easiest way to “resolve” the ticket, it is legally equivalent to pleading guilty and results in a conviction on your driving record.
DPS only knows you are a “bad driver” if the Royse City Municipal Court (or any other court) reports a final conviction to them. The court is only allowed to report final convictions. Therefore, the key to protecting your driving record and avoiding habitual violator status is to contest the speeding ticket and prevent a conviction from appearing on your record.
Many individuals mistakenly believe that if they pay off old tickets (perhaps with a tax refund), the date of the conviction relates back to the offense date. This is incorrect. The conviction date is the date you pay the fine or are found guilty, not the date the citation was issued. This can lead to a cluster of convictions within a short period, triggering the habitual violator suspension, even if the offenses occurred years apart.
Speeding Ticket Defense Lawyer
How Beltz Law Group Helps You Avoid Convictions
This is precisely where our experienced team of attorneys at Beltz Law Group comes into play. For a fee that is typically far less than the long-term cost of increased insurance premiums or a driver’s license suspension, we can be retained to defend your driving record against speeding ticket convictions.
Our approach focuses on preventing that conviction from ever reaching DPS:
- Pleading “Not Guilty”: We ensure the correct plea is entered, preserving your legal rights.
- Negotiation for Deferred Disposition: In many cases, we can negotiate with the Royse City Municipal Court prosecutor for “deferred disposition.” This is a probationary period during which, if you meet certain conditions (e.g., no new tickets, paying court costs), the case will be dismissed and no conviction will be reported to DPS.
- Seeking Dismissals: If there are legal deficiencies in the state’s case (e.g., issues with speed measuring devices, improper signage, officer error), we will work to get the ticket dismissed outright.
- Trial Representation: If negotiation doesn’t lead to a record-protecting outcome, we are prepared to represent you at trial, challenging the evidence and advocating for your innocence.
- Protecting Your License Status: By preventing convictions, your driver’s license remains in good standing with DPS, avoiding the threat of suspension.
The days of simply “taking care of” tickets by paying them off are over, especially with electronic reporting. The long-term consequences of a few simple speeding tickets can be severe. Don’t fall into the habitual violator trap.
Call a lawyer from Beltz Law Group to assist you with your speeding tickets in Royse City from now on. We can be called upon for anything from a speeding ticket to a warrant in Royse City and have a proven track record of defending our clients’ driving records. Contact us today at 214-321-4105.
