Getting a traffic ticket is not as serious as some other offenses the police could pull you up for. Yet, it’s still best to treat it seriously. As with all offenses, you have options and challenging a traffic ticket is possible.
When you receive a ticket, it’s best to act fast. You need to investigate your options and make sure you take the right steps to build a defense against the ticket. Some of the best ways to challenge a ticket are listed here.
Dispute the evidence presented by the police officer
If you received a ticket for an illegal U-turn or running through a red light, your best defense is providing proof that there’s no way the officer saw you do this. Some types of evidence that can help you with your side of the argument include eyewitness statements, diagrams about where your car was in relation to the officer’s car, and photos taken at the scene.
Justify your actions
You could admit to what you received a ticket for in this situation but show why it was necessary. This method is effective because you aren’t disputing what the officer saw or did but instead why the situation occurred.
If you received a ticket for speeding, you might claim you were passing a vehicle operating unsafely, swerving or something similar, and you wanted to prevent an accident. This can be a tricky defense, so getting expert help may be a good idea.
Fighting your traffic ticket
When you receive a traffic ticket, you don’t have to just accept it. Instead, you can take steps to fight the ticket and hopefully have it dismissed. Some of the methods above provide good examples of how to fight a ticket you have received.