Texas roads just got a little freer.

Heeding cries from the Texas ACLU and other advocates, Gov. Greg Abbott has ended Texas' so-called Driver Responsibility Program, which authorized the Department of Public Safety to add surcharges to standard court fines incurred after infractions such as speeding tickets or driving with an invalid license. Between the surcharges and service fees (not to mention the initial price of a traffic ticket), this program was unfairly bleeding drivers dry.

For Texans caught in this trap, money troubles kept multiplying. The state suspends the licenses of those who can't pay within 105 days, and the poorest drivers bear the brunt. Equal Justice Under Law, a group that sued the state over the program last year, named one plaintiff who found himself homeless after his license was suspended under the program. The difficulty of finding another job without a valid driver's license made it even harder to pay off the surcharge. Other plaintiffs include a disabled veteran who cannot reach his VA clinic by bus and an elderly nurse who must ride public transportation to work four hours each way.

Making life harder for Texans after they've already paid their debt to justice has brought in more revenue for the state, but few clear dividends for residents. Perhaps the program has made some drivers think twice before getting behind the wheel drunk. However, if we want criminals to pay more, we should charge them more in court instead of burdening them with yearly fees through the mail after justice has already been served. Misdemeanors should not force Texans from their jobs and homes.

Once the program officially dies Sept. 1, Texas drivers will no longer have to dread surcharge letters arriving weeks after their court date. Hundreds of thousands of drivers will be able to get their licenses back, allowing those Texans more mobile freedom and a wider berth of job options to seek. We applaud every effort to make our justice system cleaner and smarter, and we'll be glad to see thousands of Texans once again ride free.