What You Should Do if You’re Pulled Over for Speeding in Missouri

While it’s never a pleasant situation, it’s not uncommon for most drivers to be pulled over for some type of driving infraction, such as running a stop sign, failing to yield, or speeding in their driving careers. Whether you’ve been pulled over multiple times for speeding or if you have yet to be, it’s critical that you know how to act when you are pulled over for speeding in Missouri.

Continue reading to learn more.

Pulled Over? Follow These Guidelines

The first thing you should know is that many officers are trained to make up their minds about the citation they are issuing before they step out of the car. Generally speaking, once you’ve been pulled over, there’s not much that you can do to change the officer’s mind in terms of the citation he will or won’t be issuing. However there are some things that you can do to improve your chances of successfully contesting a traffic citation in Missouri if and when you are issued one.

Many of these are centered around the idea of making yourself “unmemorable” to the officer as much as possible. If your stop is a routine speeding ticket, the officer will most likely not have much to say about it if you go to court. With this in mind, here are some of the steps to follow to ensure the best possible outcome for any potential court proceedings surrounding your Missouri speeding ticket:

• When you see the flashing red and blue lights turn over, move over to the side as quickly, safely, and legally as possible. This means use your turn signals!
• Pullover the safest spot available. The officer shouldn’t have to enter traffic to reach your vehicle.
• If you are pulled over while it’s dark, try to stop in a well-lit area or under a street light. Doing this will make you both feel more comfortable about the interaction.

Once you are stopped:

• Wait until the officer has come to your vehicle to roll down your window.
• Do not reach for anything in the vehicle until the officer asks you too. Remember, the officer has no idea what you are reaching for as they walk up to your vehicle.
• If you feel nervous, take a few deep breaths to relax.
• Turn on your emergency lights to acknowledge the officer as well as to indicate to other drivers that you are stopped on the road.
• When the officer asks you for license and registration, give it to him. Try to keep an organized process, so you’re not rummaging through a bunch of paperwork.

What to do when the officer asks you questions:

• Avoid admitting guilt without lying.
• Offer as little information (or none) while still being polite.

Finally, while many officers are genuinely friendly people be cautious of overly friendly officers who are trying to get you to cooperate for you to admit guilt, either indirectly or directly. So be friendly, but don’t admit to anything.

If you have been issued a traffic ticket in Springfield, contact the law firm of Springfield Traffic Tickets today. We can help reduce your charges so that you can avoid points being put on your license.