How To Beat A Ticket

How To Beat A Ticket

Never Pay a Ticket Again! We pay for it for you!

Speeding Tickets, Parking Tickets, DOT Violations, Tows, Boots and more! www.ticketassurance.com/serviceplans.php.

How To Beat A Ticket

Speeding tickets, parking tickets, and other moving and non-moving citations are considered by some to be more of a means for local governments to generate income than a deterrent for dangerous driving or to ensure safety. In this issue and upcoming issues of our newsletter we will discuss how to get out of a speeding ticket.

I got a speeding ticket…now what?

Speeding tickets usually happen the same way. You see the lights of the patrol car and pull over. The officer comes to you, takes your information and walks away. The officer then comes back with a ticket for you to sign. Sound familiar? If this scenario has happened to you then you’ve already lost your best chance at beating your ticket.

Typically less than 10% of issued tickets are ever challenged and of those, approximately 1% of those are dismissed completely. This means that 99% of the time you will pay a fine if you get the ticket. It’s up to you to get them NOT to write the citation. Whether or not a ticket is issued is almost always up to the discretion of the officer. It doesn’t matter whether they are patrolling the highways for speeders, monitoring local streets issuing parking tickets, or having your vehicle towed or booted. The choice is theirs. The best way to do this is to establish a rapport with the officer which is really not that hard to do. So, here are a couple of steps to avoid getting that unwanted fine.

Step 1: Pull Over Immediately

Officers are trained to look for erratic and aggressive behavior from drivers. This training is for their safety. An officer doesn’t know who they are pulling over. You could be a law-abiding citizen that has just made an honest mistake, or you could be a criminal that has been on the run for five years. Either way, the officer is at a disadvantage and their adrenaline is pumping. The best way to start to calm the situation is to calmly pull over in the first safe area that you find. If you don’t see a safe area, slow down and put on your hazard lights to acknowledge the officer’s presence. When you find a good place, pull over.

Step 2: Be Calm

Be calm when the officer approaches the vehicle. Have both your hands in clear view of the officer. Remember, everything that you are doing now is helping to subdue the tension of the situation. Because you only have a couple of seconds of verbal contact, the majority of the time, you will be using nonverbal communication to try to avoid getting a citation.

Step 3: Make It Count

The first time you get a chance to speak to the officer is most important. You should make these seconds count. This is probably the only opportunity to speak with the officer before he or she decides whether or not to write the ticket. Do not waste your time on excuses unless you have a great one. They have heard them all before and you probably won’t win any points by telling a lie. The officer will most likely ask if you know why you were pulled over. Your response is very important. You must avoid admitting guilt while at the same time expressing remorse. Be sure to make eye contact when replying. Don’t come across as smug, arrogant, or angry. Instead, answer in a calm, steady tone and then inquire about the citation. For example, you could say “I had no idea that you were behind me, I’m sorry. I pulled over as soon as I safely could. This doesn’t mean that you’re going to give me a ticket or something does it?” This implies that: 1) you’re a safe driver 2) you apologized about the incident without admitting fault and 3) you actually ask not to be given a citation. If you are kind to the officer and comply, you can usually get off with a warning.

By now the officer already has made a decision if they are going to give you a ticket. Let’s face it, some precincts have quotas and today was your “lucky” day. However, there are also other factors that will be considered in issuing a ticket. Some of these factors include your past driving history and the conditions in which you were pulled over. If your record is clean and you appear remorseful, you just may make it out without a citation. If not, there are other options that will be covered in upcoming newsletters.

In our next issue, we will discuss the proper way to have your tickets dismissed and the legalities of “ticket fixing” services. We will also cover when you should contact an attorney and the pros and cons of doing so. Until then, drive carefully and be safe!

Never Pay a Ticket Again! We pay for it for you!

Speeding Tickets, Parking Tickets, DOT Violations, Tows, Boots and more! www.ticketassurance.com/serviceplans.php.