texas speeding
Can you present a clear record if you do Driver Safety Course in Texas?
<p>It appears that speeding tickets in Texas, or <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/1591/can-you-get-discovery-on-an-austin-tx-traffic-citation-before-requesting-a-trial">at least most metropolitan areas, for example, Austin, Texas</a>, have a standard option of a <em>Driving Safety Course</em>, which is allowed once a year, and will let you dismiss a speeding charge, supposedly without any record, and pay a reduced fine, all whilst pleading <em>no-contest</em> to the citation.</p>

<p>What if you do that, just to spare the headache of a trial, even if you truly think you didn't drive unsafely at all?  If it so happens that you are selected by traffic police again to fill the coffers of a municipality, would you be able to raise an affirmative defense, and <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/2061/is-following-the-flow-of-traffic-a-valid-speeding-defence-in-texas/2072#2072">bring your spotless driving record into the picture</a>?</p>

<p>After one takes a Driving Safety Course in Texas, a record of such is placed on the driver licence.</p>
<p>However, the course is required not only for dismissing the tickets, but is also available for some sort of extra insurance discounts, too.</p>
<p>As such, it would indeed appear that one could still claim to have a clean record, even with the presence of the course on the record.</p>
<p>(As per the notion of not creating prejudice, <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/2146/could-a-prosecutor-hint-the-jury-about-past-dismissed-cases">I would think that the prosecutor would not be allowed to dispute such statement in front of a jury</a>, nor to explain the exhaustive list of reasons that the record might originate from.  <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/2147/how-to-do-voir-dire-if-you-had-taken-a-driving-safety-course">Voir dire would likewise be a separate question</a> in such circumstance.)</p>
<p>P. S. Additionally, it's explicitly not allowed to be used for adverse actions, as per <a href="http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CR/htm/CR.45.htm#45.0511" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/Docs/CR/htm/CR.45.htm#45.0511</a></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Art. 45.0511. DRIVING SAFETY COURSE OR MOTORCYCLE OPERATOR COURSE DISMISSAL PROCEDURES. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), this article applies only to an alleged offense that:</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>(n) A charge that is dismissed under this article may not be part of a person's driving record or used for any purpose.</p>
<p>(o) An insurer delivering or issuing for delivery a motor vehicle insurance policy in this state may not cancel or increase the premium charged an insured under the policy because the insured completed a driving safety course or a motorcycle operator training course, or had a charge dismissed under this article.</p>
</blockquote>
