Speeding Ticket Tips - Five Steps to Damage Control When You Get Stopped by the Police For Speeding
You know that sinking feeling when the blue flashing lights approach from the back and settle in right behind you? Oh no! You know what's coming.
Another speeding ticket! What to do? Read on to discover five steps that can help you control the damage from the situation -- and might save you money as well as DMV points too.
1) Don't take off your seatbelt Leave it on, at least until the officer is talking to you.
In fact, there is no reason to take it off at all unless you need to reach somewhere you cannot get to while wearing it.
Or unless the officer asks you to step out of the car, which happens very rarely.
I mention this because for me it was kind of an automatic thing: turn off the ignition and take off the seatbelt.
And so, when I was stopped, I turned off the ignition and took off my seatbelt in one smooth move.
And then I thought Uh-Oh.
And sure enough, the first thing the officer said was that I should wear my seatbelt.
I was lucky.
He did not give me a ticket for not wearing the seatbelt.
But he could have.
And now that seatbelts are definitely mandatory in many states, you really better keep it on.
No need to get an add-on ticket! 2) Do not admit guilt When the officer asks you why you were stopped, do not try to guess.
You may be wrong and you could inadvertently give the officer yet another reason to write you a ticket.
The officer will tell you why he stopped you.
Express surprise.
Really? That fast? 3) Be courteous Be courteous and friendly.
The officer is just doing his job.
Hostility will only get you in trouble, and it would be directed at the wrong person anyway.
If you have a gripe about traffic regulations and policies, write to your congress person or your state legislator.
4) Ask questions Make sure you understand everything on your ticket.
Some officers' handwriting isn't terribly legible.
Confirm that you can read everything, especially the phone numbers.
5) Call the number on the ticket Call the number on the ticket to find out how much it costs and by when you would have to do what.
Should you pay up? Not if you can help it.
And it's not only about the money.
You won't save a whole lot between the ticket on the one hand and court fees and traffic school on the other hand, but the long-term after-effects of having a "moving violation" on your record will cost you dearly, so it's best to avoid that if you have the opportunity.
And going to traffic school usually does the trick.
Then again, you may not be eligible for traffic school, or you may feel wrongly accused.
In that case, there are other options, but you might need a lawyer for those.
Either that, or one of those resources that teach you how to get out of speeding tickets or other types of traffic tickets.
Another speeding ticket! What to do? Read on to discover five steps that can help you control the damage from the situation -- and might save you money as well as DMV points too.
1) Don't take off your seatbelt Leave it on, at least until the officer is talking to you.
In fact, there is no reason to take it off at all unless you need to reach somewhere you cannot get to while wearing it.
Or unless the officer asks you to step out of the car, which happens very rarely.
I mention this because for me it was kind of an automatic thing: turn off the ignition and take off the seatbelt.
And so, when I was stopped, I turned off the ignition and took off my seatbelt in one smooth move.
And then I thought Uh-Oh.
And sure enough, the first thing the officer said was that I should wear my seatbelt.
I was lucky.
He did not give me a ticket for not wearing the seatbelt.
But he could have.
And now that seatbelts are definitely mandatory in many states, you really better keep it on.
No need to get an add-on ticket! 2) Do not admit guilt When the officer asks you why you were stopped, do not try to guess.
You may be wrong and you could inadvertently give the officer yet another reason to write you a ticket.
The officer will tell you why he stopped you.
Express surprise.
Really? That fast? 3) Be courteous Be courteous and friendly.
The officer is just doing his job.
Hostility will only get you in trouble, and it would be directed at the wrong person anyway.
If you have a gripe about traffic regulations and policies, write to your congress person or your state legislator.
4) Ask questions Make sure you understand everything on your ticket.
Some officers' handwriting isn't terribly legible.
Confirm that you can read everything, especially the phone numbers.
5) Call the number on the ticket Call the number on the ticket to find out how much it costs and by when you would have to do what.
Should you pay up? Not if you can help it.
And it's not only about the money.
You won't save a whole lot between the ticket on the one hand and court fees and traffic school on the other hand, but the long-term after-effects of having a "moving violation" on your record will cost you dearly, so it's best to avoid that if you have the opportunity.
And going to traffic school usually does the trick.
Then again, you may not be eligible for traffic school, or you may feel wrongly accused.
In that case, there are other options, but you might need a lawyer for those.
Either that, or one of those resources that teach you how to get out of speeding tickets or other types of traffic tickets.