I admit it, I have a lead foot.
Because of my lead foot, I regularly have the occasion to see those spinning red and blue lights flashing in my rear view mirror. I stop and chat for a while with a man dressed in blue, receive a little yellow piece of paper ordering me to appear before a man dressed in a black robe, and then slowly pull away from the side of the road. I bring this judgment on myself.
With all my speeding around, one area I take absolutely seriously is the school zone. Speeding in a school zone carries a hefty fine and my experience is judges show little mercy for violators. So, just don’t speed in a school zone.
As students head back to school, drivers should be keenly aware of a new traffic law taking effect September 1, 2009.
House Bill 55 amends the Texas Transportation Code making it illegal for the operator of a motor vehicle to use a wireless communication device (cell phone) while driving within a school zone. Two exceptions are if the vehicle is stopped or if a hands-free device is used. Failure to abide by the new law may result in a fine.
According to the legislation, signs must be posted at the entrance of school zones informing drivers of the cell phone ban and that fines will be imposed for violation. The absence of such a sign creates an automatic defense against prosecution under the law. So, if you are stopped for violating the new law, check to make sure a sign warning of the cell phone free zone is posted.
Be careful in those school zones for the sake of both the students and your pocketbook. Should you find yourself seeing those spinning red and blue lights, be polite, be courteous, and consider calling an attorney for help.
The Coquat Law Firm, P.C. is proud to sponsor this initial installment of www.TrafficTicketSA.com’s blog. Each month for the next year a lawyer from The Coquat Law Firm will write on a legal topic useful to drivers and speeders in San Antonio and sourrounding areas. We want to hear from you. For general legal questions or topics you would like to see written about, e-mail us at Info@CoquatLawFirm.com. For specific legal questions, you may contact one of the firm’s attorneys at (210) 745-0144 for a free consultation.