5 Ways to Avoid a Speeding Ticket

You’re on the same road you drive down every late afternoon after work. The speed limit is 35, but you feel comfortable going 50. The curves aren’t sharp and there is never ever anyone else on the road—except for tonight. Behind one of the large blackberry bushes at a turnout sits a police car lying in wait. It’s near the end of the month and they haven’t met their ticket quota.

As you zoom past, the officer flashes his lights and begins to follow you. Muttering colorfully profane language to yourself, you pull over to the side of the road and the officer pulls up behind you. They get out of the vehicle with their ticket book in hand and you know you’ve landed yourself a ticket. Your auto insurance rates are no doubt going to go up. You’re thinking that you’ll need to compare auto insurance quotes online as soon as you get home to try and find a more affordable deal. Why didn’t you do this before? Why did you wait for something like this to happen before looking for fairer priced insurance?

Is there any way possible way that you can avoid a ticket?

Don’t admit to the traffic violation. If the officer asks you the reason you think you were pulled over, say you're unsure. If it seems that you are genuinely unaware of having done something wrong, they will be more inclined to issue you a warning.

Don’t flirt with the officer. Movies and TV tell you that flirting with an officer will get you out of a ticket. This doesn’t work. One alleged cop, user flipfontainewrote on AskReddit about when motorists try to flirt with him, “it insults my integrity, and that is a guaranteed ticket as well.”

Be respectful. Getting pulled over for a small traffic infraction when on your way home or to an appointment is annoying. It can feel like the officer has personally taken out a vendetta against you. As a result, you’ll feel combative and want to argue against the ticket. If you appear disrespectful to the officer, they will write up a ticket. In other words, just smile, use a neutral tone of voice and treat the officer as a professional doing their job - which they are.

Ask for a warning. After responding to the officer’s questions respectfully and showing them your license and registration, let them know that this isn’t typical driving behavior for you and ask for a warning. If you have been respectful of the officer and have engaged in good rapport, ask for a warning, it never hurts.

Smile and wave. If you’re speeding down the highway and spot a cop car, slow down your speed and smile and wave at the officer. There's a reason to do this according to the Thought Catalog, “[waving at the officer will make them] think that you’re acknowledging that you were driving too fast, and are letting him know that you’re slowing down.”

To also help you keep your driving record clean, make sure you have an auto insurance policy that meets your state’s laws. Visit CoverHound to sign up for a policy today.