Driving in Tennessee can be an adventure, and the state is often a stop on family road trips. With the mountains, lakes, and national parks, Tennessee is a travel hotspot throughout the year. As a vacationer, it is important to be familiar with the state’s traffic laws to avoid receiving a violation ticket while visiting. A traffic ticket may not seem like a big deal, but as a visitor of the state, you would be required to pay any fines or attend any court dates within the state you received the ticket. In other words, if you are pulled over in Tennessee but live hours away, you could be required to make the road trip for a second time to address the traffic violation in that state. Below are five traffic safety laws that you should be aware of while visiting Tennessee:

1. Texting and Driving: By this time, most states have outlawed texting and driving, so this law is likely not new to you. Be wary, however, of using your phone for GPS purposes as this can also be considered distracted driving and lead to a ticket. Always have your passenger handle directions or communication with your phone while you are driving.

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Seeing the red and blue flashing lights in your rearview mirror is never a good feeling. Maybe you did not realize how fast you were going, forgot to use your turn signal, or went through a red light thinking you could make it in time. Regardless, getting pulled over and receiving a traffic violation can be a blow to your ego and your wallet. Tennessee legislatures have been reviewing traffic ticketing policies and presented two bills that address the topic. Although neither is set in stone, your ability to be ticketed and how the violations are recognized may change upon the approval of the following two bills.

Meeting Quotas

You have likely heard the rumors to avoid speeding tickets toward the end of the month since this is typically when police officers hand out the most tickets to meet their monthly quotas. The Tennessee General Assembly is working hard to put an end to ticketing sprees that come up just so cops can fill their ticketing quotas. Technically, Tennessee already prohibits ticketing quotas per legislature from 2010. However, this law does not present any penalties for doing so and some argue that the lack of punishment renders the law useless. In order to address the lack of consequences, SB2458 would create mandatory fines for any police departments that implement a quota system for traffic ticketing. While this bill may not keep you from getting a ticket if you are found driving recklessly, it may reduce the number of unnecessary and inaccurate traffic tickets being delved out to meet a monthly allotment.

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Sitting in the passenger seat with a new driver can make a short drive feel like a rollercoaster ride. Their inexperience on the road can lead to many close calls and unintentional traffic violations. Recognizing this danger, many states implement restrictions on new drivers’ licenses to give young motorists the driving experience they need while also limiting their freedom for safety purposes. What many students may not realize is that there are different levels of licenses, each of which comes with its own regulations. These restrictions may seem minimal as a new driver, but breaking them can lead to traffic violations and legal consequences moving forward.

What Are the Different License Levels?

There are four license levels recognized in the state of Tennessee, and each has its own restrictions:

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Seeing blue and red flashing lights in your rearview mirror can bring on some of the worst feelings. You may panic about the level of violation that you are about to be given, your stomach drops at the thought of the fine that you may be required to pay, and you consider how this incident will affect your driving record. A single ticket with a low fine may seem like a small price to pay when compared to the other legal consequences that you can receive for breaking the law. However, the points assigned to speeding violations can quickly add up on your driving record. With too many points, you could lose your driver's license. While you can choose to accept the ticket that you have been given, fighting your traffic violation may often be the better option.

Potential Outcomes

To fight your ticket, you will need to appear in court to present your case, but before deciding to go through this legal process, you should understand what the possible verdicts and results may be:

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As a driver, seeing red and blue flashing lights in your rearview mirror is never a good feeling. The officer comes to your window, tells you what you did wrong, and usually writes you an expensive ticket. This can create a dent in your bank account and cause your car insurance rates to skyrocket. What many do not realize is that paying the ticket does not make the violation disappear. Like many other states, Tennessee utilizes a “point system” to track driving violations and keep drivers in check. 

What Is the “Point System?”

As indicated by the name, the point system adds penalty points to a person’s driver’s license and record with every violation. These points accumulate over time and can lead to bigger consequences than a high-dollar ticket. The value of demerit points is dependent upon the severity of the violation. More serious violations will result in more points and thus, harsher legal consequences. Drivers who accumulate 12 or more points in a single year will have their license suspended for 6 to 12 months. In other words, there is a chance that those who regularly do not follow the rules of the road could lose their driving privileges. 

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