50 traffic ticket tips from TicketBust.com

Tips for when you are pulled over by an officer:

• 1. Stay calm
• 2. Pull over safely and quickly to the right
• 3. Signal when pulling over
• 4. Pull far enough over so the officer can stand without getting hit
• 5. Remain in your vehicle, unless the officer instructs you to get out
• 6. Ask for identification if the officer is not uniformed or you're uncertain
• 7. Roll down the driver's side window all the way
• 8. Turn off your engine
• 9. Lock your doors
• 10. Place the keys on the dash
• 11. If it's dark out, make the officer more comfortable by turning on the dome light
• 12. Keep both hands on the steering wheel
• 13. Leave your seatbelt on
• 14. Be courteous-this may result in a reduced penalty or warning
• 15. Ask permission before reaching for items
• 16. Tell the officer what you are reaching for and where it is
• 17. Follow the officer's instructions
• 18. Remember you have the right to remain silent
• 19. Keep a car wallet with insurance, registration and copy of license
• 20. Keep pad and pen in car for writing down details of the stop
• 21. Keep a camera in the car go back ASAP to take pics of the area where you were stopped
• 22. If you work or live close to the County Seat and would prefer to have your case moved there, you have the right to request it
• 23. Keep all your answers brief and non-incriminating
• 24. When leaving, pull out safely and use your signal
• 25. If you have passengers in the car, ask them to remain silent unless spoken to first by the officer
• 26. If the officer asks: "Do you know why I pulled you over?" The safest answer you can give is "No, I was driving safely."
• 27. DON'T admit guilt to any particular speed (or anything for that matter)!
• 28. Officers are not required to show speed guns, DON'T argue if the officer answers no when you ask to see it. Make a note for later
• 29. DON'T take pictures, do or say anything memorable in front of the officer
• 30. DON'T linger and write down notes for more than a second or two after a traffic stop
• 31. DON'T let the officer know you plan to fight the ticket
• 32. DON'T make any sudden movements
• 33. DON'T offer any information. Always wait for the officer to ask.
• 34. If the offer says "no" to your request to have your ticket transferred to the County Seat, DON'T argue. Just write "county seat requested" next to your signature
• 35. Go back and time the yellow light with a stopwatch
• 36. Check if any camera enforcement warning signs were posted and where
• 37. Note if you made any turns or went straight (same true for a stop sign or non camera red light)
• 38. If you're pulled over for speeding, take a note of how fast the officer says you were going
• 39. If the officer asks "How fast were you going?" The ONLY answer is: "A safe and reasonable speed."
• 40. Make not of the location, road conditions, traffic, and weather
• 41. Keep track of any and all statements that the officer makes; but take no more than a few seconds to jot them down when the officer goes back to the car
• 42. Make note if there were or are any pedestrians, schools, or parks nearby
• 43. Note where the officer was when you first saw him
• 44. If the officer is carrying a radar or lidar speed gun and the officer shows it to you, don't make any comments about it, but do try to note the manufacturer and model of the device
• 45. If the officer did not use a radar/lidar device, note how long the officer was following you
• 46. Note where in relation to the limit line both you and the officer were when the light turned red
• 47. Take pictures from the officer's view and note any obstructions of both the limit line and the stop sign
• 48. If asked why you didn't stop for a stop sign a safe answer is: "you didn't proceed until safe"
• 49. If there is a posted sign take pictures of the sign and anything blocking it note anything that could have prevented you from seeing it
• 50. Remember that TicketBust.com is on your side!