How to Beat a Speeding Ticket

Speeding tickets raise insurance rates, and that's not cool. While we don't encourage speeding or endorse these methods, here's some advice we picked up about beating speeding tickets.

First Step: Avoid Getting a Ticket

Make sure your car is well maintained, no broken headlight, expired tags, etc.

Avoid speeding at all through little podunk towns. Some of these places ticket out-of-towners as a source of revenue.

If you must speed, make sure there is always someone going faster than you to get the ticket.

When you are pulled over, immediately put your blinker on and pull over safely. Be polite, have your vehicle registration, license, and proof of insurance handy, and do NOT admit guilt.

Strategies that have been recommended but not necessarily verified involve acting scared, ignorant, or even crying (works better for girls).

Next Step: If You Get a Ticket

Record the situation and anything that could be used to prove your case later. Do not argue with the police office because the damage has already been done and it will only anger him.

Find out what your options are. Sometimes taking a driving safety class will get the violation removed.

Going to Court

Only about 3 percent of tickets go to court and about 20 percent of the time, the office doesn't show up. This usually results in an automatic victory. Often, details aren't correct on the ticket and can get you off the hook. Many times, a judge will reduce the ticket just for the effort.

I have also heard that delaying the case can be helpful as the officer is less likely to remember the incident and may have even taken a different job by the time the case goes to court.

Hire a lawyer? Expensive and possibly overkill, but if you really want to win it can sometimes help.

Moral of the story? Don't admit guilt and be willing to go to court.