Whether you just earned your license or are a seasoned driving veteran, traffic tickets are a concern for all. They can put a damper on your day and can add unwanted costs to your budget. At times it may seem like they are even inevitable.
While most Americans will end up with a traffic fine at some point in their lives, it’s a good idea to try to avoid them at all costs. Avoiding a ticket isn’t a very difficult thing to do, and staying disciplined while driving can make a huge difference. Here are some tips on how to avoid traffic fines in Florida.
1. Drive Within the Speed Limit
Seems like a no-brainer, right? Unfortunately, the majority of drivers don’t realize when they’re going over the speed limit or simply don’t mind. It’s important to remember that speeding tickets are among the most common traffic fines handed out to drivers every day.
Monitoring and limiting your speed should not be a monumentally difficult task. By making simple changes such as constantly checking your odometer or making an effort to be aware of the speed limit on the road you’re driving on, you can avoid unnecessary tickets.
Following some of these tips may be crucial to reducing your speed and limiting your risk of speeding tickets. It is also important to remember that keeping your speed in check limits the danger that you pose to other drivers, as well as to yourself and your passengers.
2. Know the Laws of the Road
It’s difficult to avoid traffic violations if you don’t even know what constitutes a violation. While most of us know not to run a red light and not to speed in a school zone, there are many more obscure laws that may be unclear or may not be common knowledge.
Open container tickets or texting while driving tickets are just some examples of tickets you may receive for doing something you were unaware was illegal. With the changing legal landscape behind traffic violations, it’s important to stay up-to-date with important changes.
In order to be prepared to drive, make sure to read the latest version of the driver’s handbook. This handbook clearly states all regulations and laws that drivers must obey. Before you get pulled over, have full knowledge of what you might get pulled over for.
3. Be Respectful
While some police officers are very strict when it comes to traffic violations, others are more open-minded. Regardless of which side the officer that has pulled you over falls on, always be respectful. It may make a huge difference.
It’s very frustrating to get pulled over, and these frustrations may lead to anger. Always remember that the officer that pulled you over was simply doing his/her job, so don’t make the situation worse for yourself.
Being respectful to the officer may also help you avoid traffic fines. With simple actions such as pulling over promptly, greeting your officer with respect, and accepting your mistake, you might just make it off with a warning. Though this may not always work, it never hurts to try.
4. Buy a Radar Detector
More and more drivers are taking advantage of radar detectors in order to avoid traffic fines. Radar detectors will warn you of any speed traps, red light cameras, and other equipment that may monitor your speed on the road.
Though radar detectors may not be 100% accurate, they add an extra layer of warning in case there is a police presence. It can also serve to keep you, and your speed, in check on the road.
Keep in mind that if you do get pulled over, some police officers consider radar detectors an indicator of someone wanting to speed and trying to get away with it. If you do buy a radar detector, do so at your own risk.
5. Have Situational Awareness
You may think situational awareness is a difficult concept but we use situational awareness every time we drive. Slowing down when a car is turning in front of you or when traffic begins to pile up are just two examples of us using situational awareness.
By driving with situational awareness, you reduce the risk of accidents and traffic fines. It’s also important to stay focused, as distracted driving can lead to even more traffic tickets and a possibility of accidents.
6. Be Cognizant of Your Surroundings
By far the easiest way to get a ticket is by being different. Whether that means having a loud car, driving faster than everyone else, or having a bright red Corvette, different is usually not good when it comes to traffic fines.
Be sure to pay attention to the drivers around you and try to mimic what they’re doing. Even if you are going a little bit above the speed limit, no officer will pull you over if you’re following everyone else’s lead. In fact, being too slow for traffic may sometimes bite you in the back.
Also, be sure to pay attention to the movements of your fellow drivers. If you see many drivers pulling to the side, it’s a good idea to follow them: it may mean that an ambulance or fire truck is coming your way.
Also, pay attention to drivers flashing warning lights ahead. The driving community has a tendency to look out for one another, and you will often receive a warning if there is a police officer waiting to pull someone over.
Already Have Traffic Fines? Don’t Fret
If you follow all of these tips, you are well on your way to avoiding traffic fines in the future. Be sure to remember that when driving recklessly, you are putting your life, and the lives of the drivers around you, in danger.
What if you already have a traffic fine, though? Fear not! It is very easy to contest any traffic fine that you may have received, and success is a realistic possibility. If you have a traffic fine you want to contest, we’re here to help! Visit our website to contest those pesky fines, and be sure to follow our tips so as to not get another!