How to Get a Traffic Ticket Dismissed
If you get a speeding ticket, there’s a chance that you could get it dismissed if you take it to court. However, it may seem like a scary route, especially if you’re a first timer. If you don’t have a clue what to do before you go to court, that might be a disaster waiting to happen. So, we outline some of the easy ways to get a traffic ticket dismissed.
Table of Contents
How to Get Your Speeding Ticket Dismissed
Taking a Driving Safety Course
Some states will allow you to get out of a speeding ticket if you’re willing to take a driving safety course. These courses typically don’t last very long, and they tend to be quite easy. In most cases, you might even be able to take the course online, which is much more convenient. Traffic school is one of the best options for most people who get a speeding ticket, so you should at least check to see if it’s an option where you live.
Incorrect Details on Your Ticket
Before you do anything else, take a close look at the citation you were given by the officer. If there is any incorrect information on the ticket, you’ll probably be able to get it dismissed. Even the smallest mistake can be grounds for dismissal, but it all comes down to what the judge determines.
You can also check if you were fined fairly with our speeding ticket calculator.
Faulty Equipment
Another way that you might be able to get your speeding ticket dismissed is if faulty equipment was involved. If a police officer measured your speed using a radar gun, you can try to prove that it wasn’t working properly.
This is a much more difficult strategy to attempt and you may even need a lawyer, but it could be worth it. If you are able to cast enough doubt on the functionality of the equipment, you might get your ticket tossed out in court.
Proceeding with this strategy, one thing you can do is find out when the radar gun was last checked. If routine maintenance was not performed on the equipment, you could have a workable loophole. There are certain requirements for this, so you’ll want to learn what they are as well.
You should be able to get all of this information without much hassle. This is something that most high priced lawyers would do for their clients, but you don’t need to be an attorney to do it. There is actually a good chance that this will work, depending on the situation.
If you got your ticket in Texas and you want to get it dismissed, read this article: https://www.ratedradardetector.org/ticket/speeding/texas/.
Delaying Your Court Appearance
A lot of people have success with getting their speeding tickets dismissed by simply delaying their court appearance. This increases the chances of the officer who initially pulled you over not showing up. Most of the time, you will be able to get an extension on your court appearance if you give a decent reason.
Just make sure that you put in this request with a decent amount of time to spare. If the officer doesn’t show up to court when you go in for your appearance, the ticket will be dismissed outright. Keep in mind that this only works if you request a trial for your ticket. This is something that people rarely do, but it could work out in your favor.
Prepare a Good Defense
If you want to get a speeding ticket dismissed in court, you have to do a good amount of preparation. You can’t go in with just any story or excuse, because you’ll likely end up having wasted your time.
It’s important that you present the court with a reasonable explanation for your speeding. You might even want to rehearse what you are going to say in front of a mirror beforehand. The better prepared you are, the more likely it will be that your ticket gets thrown out entirely. (See good court defenses here: https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/criminal/traffic-violations/defenses-to-speeding-violations.html)
If You Have a Clean Driving Record
There is a chance that the judge will dismiss your speeding ticket if you don’t have any previous citations on your record. If this is your very first ticket, it’s possible that the court will give you a break. While you don’t necessarily count on this, it is definitely a possibility. So, in case this doesn’t work out, it’s still a good idea to have a backup plan just in case.
Get Eyewitness Testimony
One of the strongest things that you can have on your side for getting a speeding ticket dismissed is eyewitness testimony. Whether it’s someone who was with you in your vehicle or another driver, this is something to consider.
If there was someone at the scene who can back up your story, you are far more likely to get out of paying the ticket. This is usually true even when the officer has a conflicting story, but not always.
Think your case is dire? Don’t lose hope—you can still get your speeding ticket reduced.
What NOT to do
There are certain things that you should absolutely avoid doing when trying to get a traffic ticket dismissed. First off, remember not to get emotional or become visibly angry. This will only serve to make you seem unstable and therefore unreliable.
You also don’t want to try arguing that you don’t deserve the ticket because you didn’t know the speed limit. Ignorance of the law is never a valid defense, so you shouldn’t even try. It’s also not a good idea to say that your speeding didn’t harm anyone. These are all arguments that no judge is likely to take seriously. By avoiding these things, you can boost your chances of getting your ticket dismissed and avoiding adding points to your record (points further discussed on this page).
Final Thoughts
While there are never any guarantees when it comes to getting a traffic ticket dismissed, you should review your options. Some of these methods might work better for you than others, and remember that it all depends on your situation.
Also, it’s very important that you take the time to sort out everything before going to court. The last thing you want is to appear disorganized or disheveled when you go in front of the judge. When you are cool and collected with all of the proper documentation in hand, you are far more likely to be taken seriously.
In the end, getting out of a speeding ticket can be tricky, but it’s usually not impossible. And if you’re tempted to not pay your speeding ticket, we have an article on what will happen that might just change your mind: https://www.ratedradardetector.org/ticket/speeding/don%27t-pay/.
William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDetector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.
