5 Things To Do When A Police Officer Pulls You Over

Getting pulled over for a traffic ticket is never a pleasant experience. No one wants to be the person parked off to the side of the road while the cop’s lights are on and everyone who passes by is looking at you. A lot of times traffic tickets happen when you least expect it – you were rushing to a meeting and were going a little over the speed limit, you rolled through a stop sign, or you were caught texting while driving.

If you’ve recently been pulled over for a traffic ticket, here are the 5 most important things you should do:

1) Have your driver’s license, registration and current proof of insurance ready as quickly as possible. This will speed up the process of the officer filling out the traffic ticket. If you do not show proof of car insurance at the time you’re pulled over, that will be noted on your ticket and your driver’s license could be suspended by the BMV after your case is finished.

2) Don’t give the police officer an attitude. They will write this down in the notes section of the ticket and a prosecutor will see it. Be respectful and courteous.

3) Once your ticket is given to you – don’t lose it. It might be best to avoid stuffing it in your glove compartment or under a stack of papers at home as you might forget about it. It is imperative that you pay attention to the court date indicated on your ticket. If you miss your court date then this can lead to a warrant for your arrest and suspension of your driver’s license.

4) Determine if the ticket you received will impact your car insurance rates and if the points that you receive will impact license. Accumulating 12 points on your driver’s license could eventually lead to a suspension.

5) Consult with a traffic defense attorney about your options and potential outcomes of the case in the court it is scheduled. Most traffic consultations are free.

Police officers issue thousands of traffic tickets each day in Ohio. Whatever the facts or circumstances of your case may be, there are usually options available to minimize the impact of the ticket. If you’ve received a traffic ticket, give us a call today at 614 – 500 – 3836 to discuss your options.