Common Myths about Traffic Tickets

There is nothing fun and good about the feeling you experience when you are driving on the highway and those blue lights flash behind you. No one wants to get a traffic ticket because a violation will be detrimental to your driving record, cost you money upfront in the form of fines and court fees and also cost you in the long run in the form of rising insurance premiums. While there is no denying that you should obey all traffic laws, if you do get pulled over, you need to be aware of some common myths that have spread around regarding traffic tickets so you don’t fall prey to them. What are they? Let’s take a look:

Myth 1: Signing the ticket means admitting your guilt

This is not based on fact. When you sign a ticket, it is just an acknowledgement that you have received the ticket. If the officer asks you to sign, do not argue and just do it. Signing will not add to your problems in any way.

Myth 2: Ticket will be dismissed if the officer doesn’t come to court

It should be noted that going to court is part of an officer’s job description and they also receive overtime pay when they do so. It is certainly possible for the tickets to be dismissed if the officer does not appear in court, people should be aware that it is not a guarantee. There is no way to ascertain whether a police officer will show up to traffic court or not. If you have decided to contest your ticket, do not base your defense on the hope that the officer will not make an appearance.

Myth 3: Radar malfunction can be used as a defense

This is one of the most common myths about traffic tickets. Unless you are able to prove that the radar detector of the police car was malfunctioning, this defense will not hold up and could create further problems for you.

Myth 4: Traffic tickets will not be transferred to other states

It is not possible for you to escape a traffic ticket by traveling to a different state. It doesn’t matter in which state you are, you still need to pay the fine, go to court or attend traffic school. There is no getting out of it unless you are able to get it dismissed.

Myth 5: Your ticket will be dismissed if you pay extra for it

This is also just a myth and no amount of underhanded money deals is going to help you escaping a traffic citation. You will still get points on your license, though you may have the option of taking a defense driving class to get out of the ticket.

Myth 6: Police officers hand out more tickets at the end of the month to meet their quota

Remember that most police officers don’t have quotas. In fact, their use is banned in some places. Where they exist, they are very low. You can rest assured that you will only get a traffic ticket if you beat the law.