Speeding Ticket Mistakes
It’s perfectly natural to feel like panicking after receiving a speeding ticket. However, if you act too fast, then you might be doing yourself more harm than good.
Contrary to popular belief, not every situation should be handled by merely accepting the ticket and paying the fine.
There are several mistakes that you want to make sure and avoid after receiving a speeding ticket. Doing so can help you keep your record as clean as possible and help you save from hefty fines.
Here are several speeding ticket mistakes that you should avoid before, during, and after you are given a speeding ticket.
1. Do Not Argue with the Police
It doesn’t matter if you feel like you’re being given an unfair speeding ticket or not, you should never argue with the policeman or policewoman.
As soon as you see those red and blue lights go on behind you, be sure to be as compliant as possible. Find a safe spot to pull over and make sure to maintain a respectful manner with them.
Arguing with them will only make matters worse. In fact, if the situation gets too escalated, then they can arrest you for disorderly conduct.
If you’re wrongly accused of speeding, then you can take other steps down the line to fight it, but at the moment, don’t argue.
2. Don’t Admit to Speeding
More often than not, one of the first things that the police officer will say to you after pulling you over for speeding is something along the lines of “do you have any idea how fast you were going?”.
One of the biggest mistakes that you can make is taking a guess at the speed or just blatantly admitting to the exact speed you were going.
Many people make the mistake of admitting to it thinking that the police will let them off easy for admitting their wrongdoing. In reality, it has the opposite effect. You admit to it justifies the police officer in writing up a speeding ticket.
The next time an officer asks you if you knew how fast you were going, politely say “no” and listen to how fast they clocked you at.
3. Never Pay the Ticket Right Away
You might think that paying the speeding ticket as soon as possible will rid you of this situation the quickest. However, it could potentially make things more difficult down the line.
When you pay the ticket, you admit to wrongdoing. That takes away your opportunity to have the fine reduced or the ticket entirely dismissed.
Even worse, that ticket that you pay in full will go against your driving record. The state of Louisiana keeps a sharp eye on driving records, and if you get too many moving violations, then they will make the decision to suspend your license.
Take the time to consider the different courses of action you can take. If you feel like you have a legitimate gripe, then hire a trusted speeding ticket attorney.
4. Don’t Represent Yourself in Court
This is a detrimental mistake of someone wanting to expedite this speeding ticket process.
There are many people that decide to just represent themselves in court and deal with the repercussions.
As soon as you show up to court without a lawyer present, you place a giant target on your back. You can’t hope to fight the charges against you without someone that knows the court’s proceedings and regulations.
Be sure to have an attorney with the experience and know-how to oversee your case the right way.
In fact, if you hire a lawyer, then you might not have to attend the court date at all. They might settle your speeding ticket prior to the need to appear in court.
5. Don’t Move Around When You’ve Been Pulled Over
In this world today, a police officer can never get too comfortable with any one particular person that they pull over.
For all they know, you might have a weapon in your car you might try to use on them.
Because of that, it’s very important that you refrain from moving around too much. Try not to open any compartments or reach for anything without explaining it to them first.
For example, if your car insurance info is in your glove compartment, mention that to them and wait for some sort of confirmation from them before reaching for it.
6. Don’t Skip Considering All of Your Options
Perhaps you decided not to pay the speeding ticket, but you’re still doing yourself a disservice if you don’t explore all of your options.
Say what you will about the Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles but they offer you several different avenues for keeping your record clean.
One of the best examples is the opportunity for you to attend traffic school for your speeding ticket. While it might take up more time than you’d like, it can help you avoid the speeding ticket being placed on your driving record.
Simply complete the course and your record will be cleared of the speeding ticket that you received. If you want more information, then your attorney can provide it.
Avoid These Speeding Ticket Mistakes At All Costs
Now that you’ve seen the several speeding ticket mistakes that you should avoid making, make sure to keep them logged in your memory bank.
Be sure to read this article to learn more about the different fines and tickets in Louisiana.
For help with a ticket, please contact us and we’ll be happy to assist you further!
