Traffic Violation Procedure

I was chatting recently with a friend of mine named William Powell, a retired Texas Deputy Sheriff. He was reminiscing days when he was still working traffic and telling me stories of the crazy things people did sometimes when they were pulled over. As we got to talking about it, I asked him if there were any real guidelines for what a person should do when they get a traffic ticket.

William was quick to laugh and say that there were certainly some things people should and shouldn't do. He pointed out to me that some of the most innocent acts can be perceived as a sign of danger or threat to an officer. After talking for only a short while, I was convinced that he had some very good points as to why some actions would seem threatening or sneaky to an officer.

We talked a bit more on the subject and came up with this list of important tips for anyone receiving a traffic ticket. These points are important to remember any time when you're dealing with an officer of the law. Police officers are trained to take note of certain actions and behaviors which makes it important for people dealing with traffic violations to take note. Here are the tips William shared with me.

1. Stay in the vehicle until you receive a command from the officer.

2. Keep your hands in plain sight. Do not go digging around in a purse or glove compartment for identification or insurance papers until the officer asks for it.

3. Remember to be courteous. Attitude plays a big part in an officers decision to give a ticket or warning.

4. Be honest. An officer of the law will more than likely be able to tell if you are lying. The officer is also more likely to respect an honest answer and might consider giving you a break.

5. Don't try to flirt or cry your way out of a ticket. This behavior is likely to get you a ticket faster than if you just remained calm.

6. If asked if you mind your car being searched, agree to it. Any hesitation to this question will send up immediate red flags to the officer.

7. Don't ramble on when speaking to the officer. This type of behavior will only make the officer assume you are trying to distract them from something else.

8. Never threaten an officer with friends and connections you have. This will most often result in the officer issuing more tickets and possibly taking you in for any infraction that would call for such action.

9. Never make any sudden moves towards an officer. That would likely result in immediate painful physical restraint. It could also result in more charges being filed.

10. Do not bother trying to take your frustrations out on the officer for pulling you over. Remember that you would not have been pulled over if you had not violated a law. The less time you spend engaging the officer with talk, the less time the officer is likely to detain you.

This list is by no means official but it is very informative and surely helpful. As William stated to me , some of these things were absolute pet peeves to him. If you are unfortunate enough to be cited for a traffic violation or even just pulled over for a warning, remembering these tips could save you from making the situation worse than it had to be.

Source :
William Powell