Every year, over 34 million people receive a traffic ticket from a police officer. Even if you're a law-abiding citizen, the odds are that you have been pulled over for some sort of traffic violation or will be in the future. There are two major types of traffic tickets: tickets for moving violations and tickets for non-moving violations. Moving violations include speeding, failing to obey traffic signs or lights, making illegal turns or doing anything else that is illegal while your vehicle is in motion. Non-moving violations are for offenses like parking your car illegally. While there is no way to guarantee that you will never get a ticket again, following a few pointers will improve your odds of avoiding one.
The best way to avoid a traffic ticket is to make sure that nothing about your car draws an officer's attention. Flashy and bright colors (particularly red) stand out, but light, pastel colors have a tendency to blend in with the environment, and dark colors like black and navy not only blend in, but look serious. If you have chosen a brightly colored vehicle, your chances of getting pulled over are a bit higher than those of someone in a black car.
Any additional sound or light modifications can also draw a cop's attention. Neon running lights, thumping bass, straightened exhaust pipes and glass packs might make you look cooler, but may also translate to points on your license. Additionally, police dislike tinted windows as they can't see in the vehicle clearly. If you have tinted windows, immediately roll down all of your windows the minute you get pulled over. This allows the office better vision into your car, giving him more confidence about the situation. When the officer is relaxed, your chances of avoiding the ticket are better.
The condition of your car can make a good or bad impression. Clean it up, and maybe even give it a fresh coat of wax. People who take care of their cars look like they're responsible drivers. But a dented car is one that has gotten into accidents before, thus catching an officer's eye rather easily and making her prone to fine you. If your car has rust spots or dents, get them taken care of before you hit the road.
Don't hang anything on your rear view mirror. Clean out the inside of your car from clutter. Make sure your glove box is fairly clean so you don't have to search for your registration. Above all, clean out your ashtrays. They almost always draw an officer's attention, and he starts looking for things other than cigarette butts.
Finally, even if you're taking a long trip, the stickers on the back of your car can pose potential problems. There are two kinds of stickers to avoid. The first have anti-cop or pro-violence slogans such as "Bad Cop...No Donut," "DARE to keep cops away from donuts" and "This Car Is Insured by Smith & Wesson." The second kind support bands that may provoke a cop to make assumptions. If you choose to leave these stickers on your car, know that you might have to fight the assumptions they engender.
Comments
douceswild said
on 3/29/2009 If you did not avoid a ticket, try http://www.productsupplycenter.com/web227418/