Tips to Avoid Getting Traffic Tickets

If you are the type of person who seems to get traffic tickets each week, you may feel as if there is nothing you can do to avoid them.  Do not wait until the day comes when your driver’s license is up for suspension (or you are dropped by your insurance company) because you were careless with your driving habits and the way handled your traffic tickets. Here is a brief overview of things you can to avoid getting traffic tickets and save time, money and your driving record.

Know the traffic laws

You should know the traffic rules and laws for any area you are driving in, regardless if you are familiar with the zones or not. Take a few moments of your time to refresh your mind if they are not clear. If it has been several years since you last took a driver’s training course, now is a good time for you to consider enrolling in one. Traffic laws can often change. Do not get behind the wheel until you are certain you know the traffic laws and how to follow them.  Illegal passing or illegal left turns are two offenses we see where the driver may not know the law and who has the right away.

Drive with common sense

We have found that a vast majority of our clients who receive traffic tickets knew the law but were distracted or in a hurry.  You may be in a rush to get to your destination or preoccupied with other concerns than the road and motorists around you. Give yourself enough time to reach your destination on time by leaving earlier. If you do not, you may find yourself tempted to speed, roll through stop signs, run red lights, and engage in other reckless driving behaviors that are ticketable offenses. The same goes for driving while preoccupied. Stay focused on driving. You have plenty of time to think of other things later on.  Driving while distracted can cause you to make critical driving errors and end up on the receiving end of traffic tickets that have huge fines and points. Distracted driving could also result in motor vehicle accidents, injuries, death and criminal charges.

Bring your vehicle up to code

Vehicle deficiencies are a common reason many people receive traffic tickets and are often a legal pretext for a traffic stop that can lead to more serious drug or alcohol charges. Common issues include broken brake/taillights and side-view mirrors. Always inspect your vehicle before you get on the road to ensure that it is up to code and every function is working properly. Also, keep up with maintenance on your car. If it needs service or repairs, do not procrastinate too long on them. All it takes is for your vehicle to breakdown in the middle of traffic for you to draw the attention of traffic enforcement and potentially receive an impeding traffic citation.

In the event you are pulled over, the way you act towards an enforcement officer can mean the difference between a warning and ticket. It is possible for you to avoid getting traffic tickets. However, you must exhibit good driving behaviors, alertness, and knowledge to do so.