Can You Go To Jail For Driving Without Insurance in Texas?

Sunday, June 30, 2019

Purchasing automobile insurance is one of your legal duties as a driver in Texas. Everyone who operates a motor vehicle must buy and maintain adequate insurance to stay on the right side of the law. Driving without insurance is a crime in Texas. If the police catch you operating a vehicle without enough insurance, you could face a range of penalties. Jail time, however, is not one of them.

Texas Insurance Requirements

All 50 states have laws requiring drivers to carry certain types and levels of car insurance. Like the majority of states, Texas follows a fault-based car insurance system. All drivers must carry insurance to cover damages if they cause car accidents. The at-fault party’s insurance policy will pay for medical bills, property damage repairs and other losses after a collision. For this reason, all drivers must carry at least the minimum required amounts of insurance.

  • $30,000 for bodily injury liability per individual. Pays for medical bills for one person in an accident.
  • $60,000 for bodily injury liability per accident. Pays for the medical bills of all involved parties in an accident.
  • $25,000 for property damage liability. Pays for up to $25,000 in vehicle repairs after a collision.

If you do not own your vehicle outright, your lease or loan provider may require collision and comprehensive coverage as well. These are additional types of insurance that can cover your damages for any reason – even if you caused the accident or if an act of God damaged your property. You may purchase optional types of insurance for additional coverage at any time in Texas.

What Is Proof of Insurance?

As a driver, you must maintain at least the minimum required amounts of auto insurance at all times to obey Texas’ laws. You must also carry proof of insurance in your vehicle or on your person when you drive. Keeping a copy of your insurance card in your glove compartment, wallet or an electronic version on your phone can fulfill this requirement.

An officer will have the right to request to see proof of auto insurance during a traffic stop or after a car accident. You will also need to show proof to the Department of Motor Vehicles before you can register your vehicle, renew the registration, get your driver’s license or undergo a vehicle inspection.

Can You Go To Jail For Driving Without Insurance in Texas? 1

What Are the Penalties for Driving Without Insurance?

If you have insurance but failed to have proof with you during a traffic stop, you could receive a ticket and a fine. If a police officer discovers that you do not have insurance at all – or that the insurance you have does not meet Texas’ required minimums – you could face more serious penalties. Going to jail, however, is not a penalty you could face for driving uninsured.

  • Citation and fines. A traffic ticket for driving without insurance can cost between $175 and $350 to resolve as a first-time offender. You will also have to pay an additional $250 each year for three years as an annual driver’s license fee. This increases the total costs to $925 to $1,100.
  • Additional fines. You could pay a fine between $350 and $1,000 (plus the annual $250) for a second or subsequent offense.
  • License revocation. If you continue to drive without insurance, becoming a repeat offender could result in license revocation and vehicle impoundment.

You cannot go to jail for driving without insurance in Texas. Should you cause a car accident while uninsured, however, you could end up personally liable for the other party’s damages. A lawsuit against you could force you to pay for the victim’s vehicle repairs and medical expenses out of pocket. It is up to you as a driver in Texas to purchase the correct types of insurance and to maintain it at all times if you wish to avoid penalties.

Posted by Aaron Herbert at 1:32 pm

What are the Penalties for Jaywalking in Texas?

Thursday, June 20, 2019

When walking along certain roadways in Texas, pedestrians might not always find a crosswalk to use to safely cross the street. Logically, one might assume that an area with no crosswalks could imply that pedestrians possess right-of-way in crossing the street in any location. This is simply not true and is in fact extremely dangerous. Assuming that you possess right-of-way as a pedestrian not only leads to illegal jaywalking, but it can also cost you your life.

What is Jaywalking?

Jaywalking refers to entering a roadway in the absence of a crosswalk. It’s dangerous to jaywalk in undesignated areas because there’s no requirement for yield to pedestrians cars on continuous streets as they are at intersections. On in-town highways, for instance, cars typically remain at an accelerated speed. In this situation there are no stop signs, speed bumps, or other regulatory means to slow down a vehicle and prevent any potential pedestrian related accidents.

Colliding with a car under these conditions can spell disaster for pedestrians, who are almost always lacking in bodily protection while crossing the street.

Texas Pedestrian Laws

Texas exercises strict laws that keep pedestrians safe when entering roadways.

  • Cars must yield right-of-way to pedestrians in marked and unmarked crosswalks. White painted lines designate marked crosswalks, like those you see at busy intersections with traffic signals. Not all intersections have painted lines, though. In unmarked areas, like those including T-intersections and stop sign intersections, pedestrians still retain the right of way.
  • Cars must yield right-of-way to pedestrians when they cross entrance gaps that cause lapses in sidewalk. For example, pedestrians retain the right-of-way when they are attempting to cross an alleyway, driveway, or building that divides the sidewalk.
  • Pedestrians must abide by traffic signals when crossing a controlled intersection. This includes traffic lights and pedestrian-specific traffic lights. Pedestrians must also obey all signage pertaining to pedestrian travel. When disobeying traffic signals, pedestrians forfeit their right-of-way privileges.
  • Pedestrians must yield the right-of-way when crossing a street in a location that does not contain an intersection. This includes situations in which the pedestrian’s location is directly across the street.
  • Pedestrians must use available, marked crosswalks when available. Neglecting to use available crosswalks forfeits the pedestrian’s right-of-way.
  • Pedestrians must not enter an intersection in which a car cannot safely slow down or stop in time to yield right-of-way.

Not adhering to these rules compromises your safety and increases your liability in car accidents. According to state law, all instances in which a pedestrian crosses a roadway without an intersection counts as jaywalking.

Penalties for Jaywalking

Jaywalking penalties aren’t nearly as severe as car-related traffic violations, though they do exist. Texas law enforcement offers to provide education to those caught jaywalking. Those that listen generally do not receive a ticket.

If an individual is not willing to educate themselves on road safety by talking to the officer, they then administer a citation. Citations usually amount to between $20 and $160.

Who is Liable When a Car Hits a Pedestrian?

The answer to this liability question lies solely in context. A pedestrian that knowingly jaywalks, or otherwise acts in a reckless manner, do not receive protection under Texas law. This is because pedestrians only possess right-of-way privileges at intersections and marked crosswalks. However, if a car collides with a pedestrian while they are lawfully crossing an intersection, the driver will most likely possess liability.

Crossing the street as a pedestrian can be extremely dangerous in Texas. State-established crosswalk rules are meant to prevent accidents, especially because they can be fatal to unprotected pedestrians. When jaywalking means risking liability and safety when facing a car accident, the wisest decision remains to wait for a crosswalk before crossing the street.

Posted by Aaron Herbert at 9:24 am

Most Common Preventable Summer Injuries

Monday, June 17, 2019

Summer is an exciting time for individuals of all ages. Children and teens receive a well-deserved break from their schooling, while adults get to frequent refreshing outdoor venues on weekends rather than hiding from the cold. Though summer comes with a positive connotation in most contexts, some members of the public take the concept of “summer fun” too far. Commonly due to individual recklessness or ignorance, several types of accidents seem to characterize the summer season.

Car and Bike Accidents

With more people out in public during summer, roadways often become congested. This is especially relevant during parades, carnivals, and other festivities that cause local traffic. These activities that make summer fun and exciting can actually cause major accidents when drivers and bike riders become distracted or overwhelmed by the sheer amount of activity taking place.
Car accidents increase during the summer months, though the most impacted group are teenagers. This is logical because new/young drivers that don’t have school want to travel to cool destinations with friends. Though these individuals have their licenses/permits, they are most susceptible to overwhelming and/or congested traffic conditions.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is an extremely common occurrence during the summer caused by overheating. Heat stroke comes with symptoms like nausea, confusion, or blacking out (in extreme cases) caused by dehydration and excessive sun exposure. Though it might be fun to venture outdoors during summer break, you must remember that it’s possible to neglect your own body by refusing to prepare.
Always keep a water bottle in close range and take breaks from the sun, especially if you feel unwell. Though many summer enthusiasts think they can handle the heat, testing your body’s limits in this way can cause major health issues.

Drowning

Summer time, for most people, equates to swimming time. This season is when swim parks and public pool facilities open their doors to the masses. Though cooling off during the hot summer season is great, and even a good thing, you must still remember to exercise safety precautions. This is especially true for young children that have not yet acquired adequate experience and brain development to discriminate between a cool pool game and a dangerous situation.
Drowning often occurs when pools become overcrowded. Swimmers and pool toys alike create dangerous overcrowded environments that easily trap young children, teens and adults under the water. Moreover, the noise level in these environments are typically so high that guardians and lifeguards often cannot hear cries for help or discriminate them from shouts of joy. Remember to monitor your children when taking them to the pool this summer to prevent dangerous accidents.

Playground Accidents

After school lets out, swarms of school-aged children frequent playgrounds and parks. Though utilizing summer break to let children exercise and socialize is beneficial to them, they still require adult supervision.
Much like car accidents and instances of drowning, playground accidents increase during the summer because of overcrowding. Children as a group can be cutthroat, as well, depending on their age. In crowded playgrounds scenarios, children can sustain fractured/broken bones, sprains, cuts/scratches, and even concussion if they fall from the structure. When taking your child to the park, make sure to monitor their whereabouts at all times.
Though summer provides the opportunity for all individuals to take part in activities unavailable during other seasons, safety should still be the number one priority. Remain alert and prevent unnecessary accidents during your summer fun this year. Learn more about safety and preventable injury by speaking to an experienced Dallas injury lawyer today!

Posted by Aaron Herbert at 2:08 pm