Traffic Violations Excuses That Will Not Work

 Posted on April 15, 2017 in Uncategorized

It is a common desire once you have been pulled over to attempt to escape having a ticket written against you. Whether bargaining with the officer on the side of the road or attempting to strike a deal with the prosecutor in court, many individuals wish to avoid the fines, fees, penalties, and higher insurance rates associated with a traffic conviction in Illinois. Some individuals may attempt to make their case more “deserving” of a favorable resolution by offering an excuse or a story. Some of these excuses or stories are less deserving of favorable action, however.

Worst Excuses for Your Traffic Ticket

Some of the worst excuses that you can offer in response to a traffic charge in Illinois include:

• “I really wasn’t paying attention.” Traffic laws are designed to promote attentive and safe driving. Admitting that you were not doing either is not a compelling argument that will encourage most law enforcement officers or prosecutors to give you a break. Even if they do, expect such an offer to come with a hefty price tag; • “You didn’t/couldn’t have seen me speeding (or whatever you are accused of doing).” Most officers take care to carry out their job duties in a professional manner. This idea that the officer was mistaken is often perceived as an attack on the officer’s ability to do his or her job correctly. As one might expect, this is not the best way to resolve your traffic citation without a conviction; • “Another driver was going faster than I was. Why didn’t you pull him or her over?” It may be true that other individuals were speeding as much as you were (or engaging in other violations of the vehicle code), but this in no way obviates you of your own culpability and responsibility. Depending on how this “excuse” is phrased, it may even be seen as an admission of guilt. • “I didn’t know that [some activity] was illegal.” In some cases, not knowing that certain behavior is illegal may provide some defense to criminal charges. In many traffic cases, however, ignorance of the law is not grounds for a dispute. Simply put, it does not matter, in most cases, whether you intended to violate the traffic laws or not.

Building a Good Defense in a Traffic Case

Instead of attempting to offer excuses, one of the best ways to beat a traffic ticket is to enlist the assistance of an aggressive Joliet traffic violations attorney. At the Law Offices of Jack L. Zaremba, P.C., we take pride in assisting drivers in defending themselves against traffic citations, thereby helping them keep their driving record clean and avoid points from being assessed against their license. Before attempting to resolve your ticket yourself, speak with us and learn how the representation of a knowledgeable traffic defense attorney may be able to help you experience a more successful outcome in your case. Call our firm at 815-740-4025 to discuss your traffic ticket today.