How to Avoid Common Traffic Tickets Other Than Speeding
|
Ignorance of the law is no excuse, they say, but sometimes we just don't know. What is the general rule about going through a yellow light? Making U-turns? Going too slowly? Using turnouts? Take the time to find out ... and take your time to drive with care.
|
|
|
|
|
Steps:
|
1.
|
Come to a complete stop at a stop sign and where a right turn is allowed at a red light. Drivers making rolling, "California" stops are easy prey.
|
|
2.
|
Proceed through an intersection only if the front of your vehicle has entered (crossed the limit line or marked or unmarked crosswalk line) before a stoplight turns red and it is safe to do so. In most states, you have not run a red light if your front bumper is in the intersection when the light becomes red.
|
|
3.
|
Refrain from making a U-turn in a business district or across a traffic island. In a residential area and on some highways, make sure no car is approaching within 200 feet (12 car lengths) when making a U-turn; turn left into a driveway or parking lot to avoid a U-turn violation.
|
|
4.
|
Make turns as close as is practicable to the edge of the road. Cautiously enter a bike lane marked in white dashes to turn right, for example.
|
|
5.
|
Maintain a distance behind another vehicle equal to one car length for every 10 miles per hour that you're driving. Don't tailgate.
|
|
6.
|
Minimize the number of lane changes you make. Signal a lane change and look in your side and rear-view mirrors and over your shoulder. Your weaving in and out of traffic followed by the application of brake lights by the cars behind you attracts traffic officers' attention.
|
|
7.
|
Pass another vehicle only in designated areas (not when there is a solid line in your lane) so as not to "interfere with the safe operation of any vehicle" travelling in your direction or coming toward you.
|
|
8.
|
Drive in the lane to the far right and maintain a normal and reasonable speed when other traffic is going faster than you so that you don't "impede" traffic and suffer the indignity of getting a ticket for driving too slowly. Use turnouts on a two-way, two-lane road when you are slowing down vehicles behind you.
|
|
9.
|
Know who has the right-of-way. Yield to merging traffic; to the first driver who comes to an intersection that has no signs or signals or is a four-way stop; at an intersection where your road ends; when making a left turn; and, of course, at stop and yield signs and for pedestrians. If two of you get to an intersection at the same time, let the person to your right go first.
|
|
10.
|
Make sure there is no opened container of an alcoholic beverage inside your car or truck 'including the glove compartment.
|
|
|
|
Tips:
|
 |
Some states prohibit driving into a marked or unmarked crosswalk until a pedestrian is completely off the street.
|
|
 |
California has a new law stating that, if a vehicle has turn signals, they must be used rather than hand signals.
|
|
|
|
Tips from eHow Users:
|
 |
Don't take someone else's word for it... by Suzanne B.
When you are waved by another driver signaling that it is okay for you to proceed to cross traffic, wave back to him "No, thanks" and go only when YOU can see that the coast is clear. If he doesn't see all directions are clear and there is an accident, you are at fault.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|