How to beat a speeding ticket

AutoXpert

Administrator
The secret on how to beat a speeding ticket...moving violation!
Frequent speeding ticket related questions that come up at an popular online forum:

* How can I beat a speeding ticket or traffic citation?
* How can I fight a speeding ticket or moving violation?
* How can I get out of a speeding ticket?
* What's a good speeding ticket defense that I can use?

We'll attempt to these speeding ticket related questions below with practical advice based-upon our own experiences, that of a retired police officer, and one expert who has even written a book dedicated to the subject of how to beat a speeding ticket!

Wisdom

Over the years, I have learned to make the process of beating a speeding ticket. moving violation, or traffic citation as painless as possible for both myself and the traffic enforcement officer and realize, now, that police officers are like everyone else - in that they are often married and have children, have good work days and bad work days - and especially today - are sometimes confronted with life-threatening situations when engaged in issuing a speeding ticket.

Keeping this in mind, the steps one take during a pull-over can go a long way in keeping both tensions down to a minimum - which is essential to maximize your chances to successfully fight a speeding ticket, traffic citation, or moving violation.

Moral - make the situation the least confrontational as possible!

When initially pulled-over, keep both of your hands [and your passengers'] in plain view. In the driver's case either place them high on-top of the steering wheel or outside of your window.

This serves to let the approaching officer that you're not a potential threat. A number of officers have expressed sincere gratitude for taking their feelings into consideration.

If pulled over at night, turn the interior lights on so that officer can clearly see inside your vehicle. This will also serve to lesson tensions.

Be prepared with appropriate ID...its coming.

Do NOT be argumentative in your tone. With the latest forms of police laser - LIDAR and radar - speeding ticket errors will be few.

If asked why stopped, don't lie or make up some excuse - they hear this all the time; don't be a whiner. Since answering in the affirmative to speeding is paramount to self incrimination - that's why they ask - kindly reply to the question with something like "with all do respect, doesn't answering your question open me up to self incrimination?" I have found that officers appreciate savvy drivers and as an added bonus the burden has been shifted back to the officer and a dialogue has begun, not and argument!

Once told, it pays to be familiar with the state/local moving violdation and traffic citation statutes.

Ask if the officer would be willing to cite a reduced statute on the speeding ticket. In PA, for example, a PA3111A is a catch-all moving violation that carries no points.

Remember that we're not asking to be given a 'break' on receiving a speeding ticket - they hear this all the time too. We're just asking for his/her consideration of citing a different statute with the traffic citation.

When the speeds are higher on your pending speeding ticket , suggest that you'll accept on the spot a traffic citation for a PA3111A and a seat-belt violation [which carries no points is PA]. This way, everybody gets what they want. The officer has violations/fines he/she can take back to the barracks and you have a reduced fine/penalty and no points!

Some states have "jurisprudence in abeyance," which is a fancy way of saying that your speeding ticket or traffic citation will be dropped if you don't receive another moving violation in some period thereafter.

They key to all of this is to avoid the points and subsequent insurance surcharges you would otherwise receive as a consequence of your speeding ticket. Think of the reduced fine, as the "tax" for having the privilege to drive faster.

I am not saying you'll get off of all every traffic violation or moving violation; but I am suggesting that you will fare much better. And most importantly, you'll be acting as a more responsible citizen to boot.

If thought about it in this way, you'll get through all of this much easier.

radar roy, retired police officer of 20 years shares how to fight a speeding ticket

Roy Reyer ("Radar Roy") - A retired police officer of 20 years proffers these thoughts on how to beat a speeding ticket for your benefit:

Being a cop for 20 years, I was also a defensive driving instructor for 10 years and was an instructor for the Arizona Superior Court Ticket Diversion Class.

This is what I have instructed to my students in all my classes and many of my students have gotten back to me saying that it got them out of a ticket (but it is not the intention)

First off, the most stressful and the most dangerous time for a police officer are the moments that he is approaching your car. This is when most officers involved in shootings occur. He has no idea who you are or what else you may have done. You maybe the guy that was just showcased on America's Most Wanted, or school teacher. He is watching every move you make and your body language. He is trained to watch your hands and what you and your passengers are reaching for. The most dangerous part of your body are your hands...where a weapon will be!

So this is what I recommend, this will reduce the STRESS LEVEL of the officer as he approached

If it is night, turn on your interior lights

Roll down your window and place your hands on the stearing wheel PALMS UP! Instruct any passengers that you have in your car to put their hands up on the dash with palms up.

Once the officer sees this he knows that your hands are no longer a threat and his stress level is going to go down. However he will still be curious as to why you done this, when he asks you later you can respond with something like this.

"My (son, neighbor, best friend, or Radar Roy) is a police officer and I have ridden with him a number of times, and this is what he always asked people to do as he approached. I just wanted to extend the same courtesy these other drivers extend to him and done it with out your asking"

"I saw this on COPS and wanted to extend this courtesy to you"

Be ready to answer any other questions he may have such as what department or what ever...

The most important thing is be courteous and answer his questions as truthfully as you can without incriminating yourself. The biggest trap is "do you know how fast you were going" or "do you know why I stopped you" Chances are that your answers are all being recorded. So if you say, yes, I was speeding and going over 20 miles over the posted speed limit, guess what is going to be played back in court.

Just explain that you had other things on your mind and no, you want the officer to explain the reason(s) for the stop

Another bit of advice that will be of value to you in helping you fight speeding tickets in the future is to purchase a very good radar detector.

These devices really do help in reducing the chances of inadertantly blundering into a speed trap.

As good as they are with radar, the nature of police laser is such that a detector alone will likely not be enough to protect you...you should protect yourself with Veil and/or a laser jammer to add sufficient protection from this lethal and increasingly popular form of traffic enforcement.
 

JimmyHelu

Rookie
The scheduled fine for going 15 mph over the limit is $234. The scheduled fine for going 1 mph over the limit is $234. See where I am heading? You admit that you were exceeding the speed limit no matter what the speed limit was, and the fine is exactly the same. Your only viable option would be to convince the judge that the speed you were going was reasonable and prudent, despite the presumption that it was not, under California's Basic Speed Law. I doubt that you have much chance of that.
 
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