How to Talk Your Way Out of a Traffic Ticket

I have been pulled over many times with the results being the same. No traffic ticket. How do I do it? I learned from my father who was a police officer in Washington, D.C. for twenty-one years. One advantage of having a police officer as a father is you learn ways to avoid getting traffic tickets. There are some disadvantages, like never getting away with anything, but there are trade offs for everything.

It first started when I was a child going somewhere in a car with my dad and seeing some poor guy pulled over who was obviously sassing the cop. My father told me how people would get traffic tickets when they would of had a warning because they didn’t handle themselves correctly. Don’t make common mistakes if you get pulled over.

Here are my top ten things to do and reasons why:

1) Pull way over. If a cop feels like he is risking his life to give you a ticket, you’re getting one. So the poor guy doesn’t feel like he is going to get run over by being on the edge of traffic, pull as far over to the side as you can. Point the front of the car slightly towards the right shoulder so the rear drivers side of the car protects the officer from being hit by an oncoming car. The idea is to make him feel safe! If he ask why you pulled over in that way tell him that it is to protect him from oncoming traffic. He may show appreciation by not giving you a ticket.

2) Be polite, you are not being singled out. If you weren’t doing anything wrong, you wouldn’t of been pulled over. Don’t sass the cop. If you do you start a confrontation that can only end by paying a large fine and getting points on your license. Your insurance agent will love this when you are paying higher insurance rates. So treat the officer with respect using rank and name or calling him Officer or Trooper.

3) Don’t deny you were doing something wrong. See #2. If you deny you were doing something wrong it is akin to calling him a liar. Calling him a liar will get you that ticket. So don’t do it.  I am not telling you to admit guilt either, just don’t be impolite.

4) Have your drivers license, insurance information, and registration ready when you are approached.

5) Keep your hands in full view of the officer

6) At night turn on your inside cab light so he doesn’t feel a threat of possible attack. Cops are people too and they are exposed to violence more often than you might think. Making the cop feel safe will go a long way to easing the situation.

7) Keep him talking as long as you can while not abusing him or denying you are wrong. Get to friendly ground as quickly as possible. That doesn’t mean leave the car, but rather a cheerful voice inflection. Oh, stay in the car.  If you get out it puts the cop on the defensive and tension will become an issue.

Use your manners! Show respect and dignity for law enforcement. Remember it is their turf and you are on it, the officer has the power and you need gentle application of it. A lot of people think they won’t get out of it so they are rude. I have known many cops that would of let someone off but were treated rudely. So they gave them a ticket instead.

9) Smile

10) Thank him for letting you off!

PS: I once heard of a woman that took the “Get out of jail” card from a monopoly game and gave it to the officer when he took her license, registration, and insurance information. Pretty funny right! But it turned the mood around and she got off. Remember, he walked up to the car saying to himself “get your game face on.” This “get out of jail” card certainly changed his mood.

Be creative and if you know of some things not mentioned here please write me. I may update this article with your idea!