How To Beat a Traffic Ticket
with
Jonathon E. Stewart
Although there's no guarantee, there are a few ways to minimize your chances of getting and paying for traffic tickets. Always drive safely, and use these tips in the chance that you get one.
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Transcript: How To Beat a Traffic Ticket
Hey guys - Jonathon Stewart here for About.com. Getting pulled over is never much fun, and often ends up in a costly ticket or citation. But take a look at these simple but effective tips, and increase your chances of driving away scot free. Check it out.Avoid Getting Pulled Over
Tip One: Keep a low profile. Your best defense against a ticket is not getting pulled over in the first place. Brightly colored cars, or cars with obvious after-market parts like racing spoilers and rotating hubcaps are likely to catch the attention of police on the prowl. You should also strive to keep your car clean and free of bumper or window stickers that might get you noticed. Of course not speeding, not running stop lights, and not pulling illegal U-turns are also helpful in not getting pulled over, but hey - we're all human, right?Be Respectful
Tip Two: Be cool. When you do get pulled over, your best bet is to be completely respectful and answer the officer's questions as politely as possible. However, you should also refrain from saying too much - remember that anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. The correct answer to the question, "Do you know why I pulled you over?" is always, "No officer, I don't."Whether you feign ignorance when the cop informs you that you were going mach 2 in a 35 is up to you - either way you're probably looking at a ticket. However, some evidence does suggest that crying, being honest about not being able to afford the fine, and lying about having to go to the bathroom might be successful tactics.
Contest the Traffic Ticket
Tip Three: Contest it. If you do get a ticket, paying your fine in most jurisdictions is an admission of guilt. Be sure to read the fine print, but if you can make the time to appear in court, you automatically have a pretty good chance of beating it - in many courts if the issuing officer does not appear to testify, your case will be dismissed entirely.And apparently, requesting an extension on your ticket increases the odds even further that your cop won't show. Finally, just remember that while a lot of offenses can be rather trivial, some violations like drinking and driving can result in serious injury or death. So drive safely, and pay attention to driving laws, even when they're stupid.
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