If you’re ever been pulled over for speeding, tailgating, or committing another kind of traffic violation, it can be a very scary experience. Even though more than 20 million people get pulled over by the police every year, you’ll still find that your stress levels will soar when you see a cop car with its lights on behind you.
Fortunately, there are some things that you can do to make this situation slightly less stressful. For starters, you can be polite and respectful when speaking with a police officer. This might help you to walk away with a warning instead of a ticket.
But even if a police officer writes you a ticket for a traffic violation, there is still no reason for you to flip out and lose your cool. As long as you take the right steps from there on out, a traffic violation ticket shouldn’t be the end of the world for you.
Here are the things you should do after receiving a ticket from a police officer for a traffic violation.
Take a Look at Your Ticket to See Which Traffic Violation You Were Ticketed For
The first thing you should do when you receive a ticket for a traffic violation is read the ticket to see which violation you were ticketed for. A police officer might pull you over for, say, speeding before deciding to give you a ticket for a lesser offense.
The specific traffic violation that you were ticketed for is going to help determine everything from whether or not you have to make a court appearance to how much you’ll have to pay to settle up on the ticket. It’s why it’s so important for you to be aware of why you received a ticket from the start.
Find Out Which Fines and Penalties You’ll Face for Your Traffic Violation
Once you know which traffic violation you were ticketed for, you’ll be able to find out which fines and penalties you might face as a result of it.
In some cases, you might be able to find out this information right on your ticket. But in others, you’ll have to look up a code found on your ticket to see which fines and penalties come along with your specific traffic violation.
You should try to find out this information sooner rather than later. It’ll help you decide what steps you’re going to take next.
See Whether or Not You’ll Have to Go to Court for Your Traffic Violation
In addition to finding out which fines and penalties you might face because of a traffic violation, you should also find out whether or not you’ll be required to appear in court.
More often than not, you won’t have to make a court appearance for something like a speeding ticket. But there is a chance that you might have to go to court to answer to your traffic violation ticket, especially if you’ve received a bunch of tickets in the past.
You could find yourself in a world of trouble if you skip a mandatory court appearance. So don’t forget to check to see if you’re going to have to go to court following a traffic violation.
Decide If You Want to Fight the Traffic Violation Ticket You Received
As we just mentioned, most people won’t be required to go to court after receiving a traffic violation ticket. But many people choose to do it anyway in an effort to fight the ticket that was given to them.
If you don’t think you deserved to get a ticket for whatever it is that a police officer said you did, you have the right to attend a court appearance. You can try to have your ticket dismissed and avoid fines and penalties by appearing in traffic court before a judge.
Hire a Traffic Law Lawyer to Represent You in Court, If Necessary
If you would like to increase your chances of getting a traffic violation ticket thrown out by a judge, it’s a good idea to consider hiring a traffic law lawyer to represent you. They can help you build a strong case for your court appearance.
It might not be worth hiring a lawyer to try and avoid a small fine for a traffic violation. But if there’s a chance you could lose your license because of a moving violation, hiring a lawyer could be well worth it in the end.
Make Sure You Get Your Traffic Violation Ticket Squared Away
No matter how you choose to go about handling a traffic violation ticket, there is one thing you should not do under any circumstances: Ignore the ticket that was given to you altogether.
If you don’t get a ticket squared away, you could face stiffer fines and penalties than you may have originally faced. You’ll be much better off dealing with a ticket in a timely fashion.
Be More Careful About How You Drive Around in Your Car Following a Traffic Violation
After settling up on a ticket for a traffic violation, you should make it your mission to not get another ticket anytime soon. You should follow every automotive law on the books and not give police another reason to pull you over.
There is no way to guarantee that you won’t find yourself on the wrong side of the law again while behind the wheel of your car. But you can reduce your chances of getting pulled over by driving slower and paying closer attention as you’re driving.
You Don’t Have to Let a Traffic Violation Ticket Bring You to a Halt
No one enjoys getting pulled over and ticketed for a traffic violation. But it comes with the territory when you spend almost every day out on the road.
If you ever receive a ticket for a traffic violation, you should learn from it and do your best to avoid getting ticketed again. By taking the proper precautions, you should be able to steer clear of having another police officer pull you over anytime soon.
Browse through the articles found on our blog for more tips on being a safer driver.
