by
John Fabel | Last Updated: September 19, 2022 Driving in Brownsville can be challenging, with over 180,000 residents potentially on the road at any given time. In this tip of Texas town, driving can sometimes get as spicy as the salsa at Emilia’s.
Brownsville can be a dangerous place to drive, both physically and fiscally. Brownsville averages 3,600 collisions annually, with nearly a third resulting in injuries or fatalities.
Since most accidents are caused by a failure to control speed, law enforcement does its best to slow this trend by writing tickets. In theU.S.S, 100,000 speeding tickets are written every day, and, no doubt, Brownsville drivers get their fair share. At an average cost of $150 a ticket, the nation’s speeders pay out nearly $5.5 billion dollars in fines, and each of them faces a 22-25% increase in their car insurance premiums for the next three years.
All of these costs could be drastically reduced with better driving by all. Brownsville drivers can bring these numbers down by taking defensive driving (also known in Texas as a “driver safety course”). Tips and reminders of how to navigate the roads safely are the main topics of any driving course. The stated purpose of a TDLR-approved course is to teach drivers to “change their perceptions, attitudes, and skills to make Texas roads and highways a safer place to drive.” Other benefits of taking a defensive driving course include ticket dismissal and insurance savings, all at a reasonable cost.
The Easiest Way to Take Defensive Driving in Brownsville? Do it Online
With the hectic pace of life, the easiest way to complete a course is to take it online. The ability to work at your own pace from your own place makes it the most convenient way, too. Any of the schools listed below offer courses approved for ticket dismissal and/or insurance discount. And you can choose any of them with confidence as they are fully certified by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
Brownsville’s Best TDLR-Approved Online Defensive Driving Providers
School | Name | TDLR Ref # | Phone | Rating |
 | CP-280 | |||
 | CP-814 | |||
 | CP-262 | |||
 | CP-024 | |||
 | CP-090 |
Online Not for You?
We understand that learning online is not everybody’s preference. If you prefer to “get your learnin’ live,” you can still get out and take defensive driving in a classroom.
Depending on the school, classroom defensive driving has always been fun; being in the presence of humans again might even make it more so. Now I’m not gonna lie; classroom defensive driving in Brownsville is hard to find anymore. However, here’s one place we managed to find where you can still take defensive driving in the presence of other humans.
Benavides Driving School
Opened in 1975, Benavides Driving School has taught thousands of folks in the Rio Grande Valley how to drive. They are also prepared to keep those drivers sharp, with TDLR-approved defensive driving classes offered every other Saturday from 8:30-2:30.
Visit Benavides Driving School, located at 137 East Price Road, Brownsville, TX, 78520, or call 956-541-2484
In the bygone B.C. (before Covid) days, schools like Comedy Guys, Funny Bone, and My Improv were famous for their defensive driving classes that were more or less dinner and a show. Hopefully, they’ll be back soon.
If You Have Received a Ticket in Brownsville
Defensive driving courses can be used to improve driving skills and earn insurance discounts, but the benefit most people look for is ticket dismissal.
The first step to taking defensive driving is receiving permission to do so. The Brownsville process for asking “pretty please” involves making a phone call to 956-574-6607.
Dismissal for most citations is possible unless the ticket was written:
- For speeding 25 miles per hour (or more) over the posted limit
- Passing a stopped school bus
- In a posted construction zone while workers are present
- Leaving the scene of an accident
- Fleeing police
Ticket dismissal is also not a possibility if you are the holder of a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) or if you have dismissed a ticket with defensive driving in the past 12 months.
Driving in Brownsville
Brownsville is a fairly easy town to navigate by car. People from other cities may even be jealous that the average drive time to work averages only 20.1 minutes, much better than theU.S.S average of 26.4 minutes.
How people in Brownsville get to work:
- 83.2% drive alone
- 11.2% carpool with others
- 2.5% work from home
- 0.8% take mass transit
A new way folks in Brownsville get around is by pedicab, also known as bicycle taxis. These pedal-powered vehicles make for easier transportation but certainly give motorists another thing to watch out for on the road.
More Cool Stuff About Brownsville
Brownsville offers a wide variety of attractions for both tourists and locals, things like:
- See over 400 species of animals at the Gladys Porter Zoo
- Swim, camp, fish, or surf at Boca Chica State Park
- Learn about the history of the area by visiting the Sabal Palm Sanctuary, the Stillman House Museum, the Historic Brownsville Museum, or the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park
- Enjoy the freshest of seafood on the Texas Gulf Trawling Shimp Boil & Tour
- Head for the islands—South Padre Island, to be exact
No Matter Your Plans
Be careful driving to get there, whatever you decide to see or do in Brownsville. Without question, the driving environment here can pose some real traffic challenges. Consider taking a defensive driving course to make sure you get to your “whatever” safely.
John Fabel
I have a long and checkered history with defensive driving. I took my first "court invited" course at age 15 and realized immediately that there had to be a better way. Since that first experience, I have gone on to teach defensive driving classroom courses and to author four internet courses in 2 states. After nearly 25 years in the industry, I can help you find a course that will be the best fit for you.Recommended Reading
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