Traffic fine & ticket appeal
Traffic Fine Information
All streets and roadways on the campuses of San Jacinto College are public roadways and the Texas Motor Vehicle Laws contained within the Uniform Act are enforced at all time. Officers of the college Police Department are authorized to issue two types of citations for violations.
College Traffic Citations are handled by the college Police Department and are subject to a reinstatement fee or ticket appeal.
Court Appearance Citations, issued by college police officers, constitute a summons to appear in court before the indicated magistrate in the same manner as a traffic citation issued by the Texas Highway Patrol.
Penalties provided by law will be imposed by the court for violation of the Texas Motor Vehicles Laws. Violation of the tickets promise to appear before the indicated magistrate on or before the indicated date will result in the courts issuance of warrants for the arrest of the violator. Moving violations shall include, but are not limited to:
- Driving without valid drivers license
- Failure to show proof of liability insurance
- Exceeding the speed limit (radar enforced)
- Running stop signs or red lights
- Driving the wrong way on a one-way street
- Failure to grant right-of-way to pedestrians
- General Violations
- Parking along the street
- Backing into a parking space
- Failure to display a valid San Jacinto College parking permit
- Failure to properly affix parking permit in the designated place
- Parking in any area restricted by signs or a yellow border
- Parking in loading zones
- Parking in driveways
- Parking on the wrong side of the street
- Failure to park within lines of individually marked spaces
- Parking in areas not designated for parking (on grass, esplanade, sidewalks, etc.)
- Failure to make disposition of ticket in required time (10 school days or before the first day of final exams) will result in a $2 late fee being added to the charges
- Parking in a reserved parking space (visitor, staff, motorcycle, etc.)
- Displaying fictitious or defaced parking permit.
| Fines | |||
| Violations | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| No Parking Permit | $7.00 | $14.00 | $28.00 |
| Failure to affix permit | $7.00 | $14.00 | $28.00 |
| Backed into parking space | $7.00 | $14.00 | $28.00 |
| Parked in staff | $15.00 | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| Parked in visitors | $15.00 | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| Parked on lawn | $15.00 | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| Parked in roadway | $15.00 | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| Blocking driveway | $15.00 | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| Failure to park within lined space | $15.00 | $30.00 | $60.00 |
| All moving violations | $20.00 | $40.00 | $80.00 |
| Parked in handicapped | $25.00 | $50.00 | $100.00 |
| Parked in no parking | $25.00 | $50.00 | $100.00 |
If you wish to pay your fee by mail, send it to the Business Office on the campus where you received your ticket. It is requested for accounting purposes that the social security number of the violator be included with the payment.
Other Violations
Altering, damaging or moving college traffic signs, markers or signal devices. Penalty: $10, plus cost of damage and/or disciplinary action.
- Littering. Penalty: $10
- Failure to obey request or direction of a college police officer. Penalty: $10 and/or disciplinary action.
- Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages on campus (alcoholic beverages in a vehicle shall constitute possession). Penalty: $15 and/or disciplinary action. Second offense will be filed in justice court.
- Possession of firearms, explosive weapons, or illegal knives on campus is a Third Degree Felony, punishable by: Confinement in the Texas Department of Corrections for a term not more than 10 years or less than two years. A fine not to exceed $5,000.
Ticket
A notice of violation of traffic and/or parking regulations as adopted by the San Jacinto College Board of Regents.
Ticket Appeal Procedure
If you feel a ticket is unjust, you may download and complete a ticket appeal form (pdf file), also available at the Police Department, and file it. After completing the appeal, return it to the Police Department for routing to the Dean of Student Development who is in charge of appeals on the respective campus.
The student must make this appeal within ten school days or two weeks from the day the ticket was received. The student shall then check with the Police Department, within seventy-two hours after the appeal is submitted, for the decision of the administrator in charge of appeals.
Appeals will not be accepted after the aforementioned time limit.
A $2 late fee will be added to the fine if the ticket is not appealed or paid within the time limit. The above information and Appeal Procedure is applicable to college citations only. If charges are filed with a court of law, normal criminal justice system procedure will prevail.
Towing & Impounding of Vehicles
The college reserves the right to impound or have impounded, any vehicle which is parked in a manner which constitutes a hazard or is in violation of college traffic regulations or state law. Storage and repair of vehicles (except for emergency repairs) is prohibited. Parking of motor homes, trailers, boats, or any vehicle on campus for the purpose of storage or habitation is not permitted. All costs resulting from the towing and impounding of a vehicle will be the responsibility of the owner.
Accidents
All accidents occurring on a college campus roadway or parking lot should be reported immediately to the college Police Department. Officers of the college Police Department will investigate all reportable accidents on college property, file all necessary reports, aide in the drivers' exchange of information, render needed first aid or summon appropriate medical assistance and arrange for vehicles to be towed if they are not operational.
Criminal Offenses
Victims of theft or any type of criminal offense on the college campus should make an immediate report to the college Police Department. Prompt notification of any offense increases the possibility that property can be recovered and returned to its owner, and the likelihood that the suspect(s) will be apprehended.
Motorist Assistance
All patrol vehicles are equipped with jumper cables to jump start dead batteries, and tools to unlock vehicles with keys locked in them. Officers will also assist drivers with flat tires when necessary. All motorist assistance calls are performed strictly as a courtesy and priority calls will always take precedence over any other call.
For Your Protection
Members of the academic community at San Jacinto College can contribute greatly to their own safety and the safety of others by utilizing preventive measures and reporting violations. You can curtail the opportunity for criminal activity and improve the odds against your being victimized by practicing the following precautions:
- Keep your automobile locked at all times. Never leave the keys in the vehicle and avoid leaving property where it is visible (store this material in the trunk).
- Personal property such as purses, briefcases, textbooks, etc., should never be left unattended. Keep such items with you while in classrooms, cafeteria or student lounges.
- Write name, address and driver's license number in all personal textbooks.
- Make a record of the serial numbers of all personal property.
- Mark for future identification all personal property (engraver available at the Police Department).
- Report promptly to the college Police Department all suspicious persons, out of the ordinary situations, questionable actions or dangerous conditions.
- Lockers provided in the dressing areas of the gym should be used to store all valuables brought to class, including textbooks. The use of a good security lock is recommended.
- Make sure your office is locked when unattended, even for a short time.
While every effort will be made by the officers of the college Police Department to protect property and ensure a safe environment at San Jacinto College, the main responsibility for the safeguarding of an individual's property is that of the individual.
