Five Things You Should Avoid Saying In Traffic Court
There are a lot of excuses and arguments people use in an attempt to get themselves out of traffic tickets. While some may be successful, there are probably a lot more that are not. If you find yourself in traffic court, there are some things you should avoid saying, as they won’t hold any merit and could incriminate you further.
1. “Nobody Got Hurt”
Just because someone wasn’t injured doesn’t mean you didn’t break the law. Keeping your offense free of injury is not a reason you shouldn’t be punished for violating law. While in some cases you will be given additional penalties for the injuries, there are initial penalties you should have to face that are directly related to your infraction.
2. “I Wasn’t Aware of the Law”
As a licensed driver, it is your responsibility to be aware of all laws pertaining to being on the road. If there’s something you were not aware of, responsibility falls in your lap, not anyone else’s. Many states give public reports, such as on the evening news, when new laws are put in place. Every state has a public website where you can brush up on traffic laws if you feel there have been enough changes that you haven’t been able to keep up.
3. “I Have a Good Reason for My Violation”
Most judges won’t care about your reason for breaking the law. You could have a very sympathetic story explaining how you were trying to get your cat to the vet for an emergency procedure when you ran a red light, and the judge typically won’t give any merit to the story. Rather than pouring out every detail of your sad story, you should present a solid defense.
4. “I Didn’t Realize It Happened”
If you didn’t realize you were breaking the law, it’s likely you weren’t paying attention while you were behind the wheel. Distracted driving carries its own penalties, and admitting you didn’t even know you had committed the infraction could make things worse for you.
5. “The Cop Just Didn’t Like Me”
Especially if it’s obvious you committed a traffic violation and there aren’t any clear prejudices from the officer who ticketed you, this will look like an immature approach. Though there are some rare occasions, most traffic tickets have nothing to do with a police officer’s personal feelings about a person and everything to do with the law the individual broke.
Get a Lawyer on Your Side
When you are headed to traffic court, it’s important you have a lawyer on your side to help you know what and what not to say. Contact a lawyer, like a traffic defense lawyer from May Law, LLP, today.