Most Popular Ticket Excuses Given to Cops

Obviously, the best way to avoid a speeding ticket is to avoid speeding in the first place. But sometimes people run late and make mistakes. The odds are extremely high that most drivers will be pulled over for speeding at some point during their driving years.

But before you try to talk your way out of the ticket, take a look at this list of commonly used excuses. The officer who pulls you over will undoubtedly have heard all of these a hundred times before, and using the right or the wrong excuse could make the difference between escaping with a warning or paying a hefty fine.


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Excuse #1: “…I’m not from around here.”

Most of the time, if this excuse is true and you are cited for speeding in unfamiliar territory, the officer was probably looking for out-of-towners in order to reduce the likelihood that the ticket will be contested in court. So be careful when driving through areas you don’t normally visit!

On the other hand, if you are a local and you’re trying to lie your way out of the ticket, one look at your license will give you away. And the officer will probably be more likely to write you a ticket for lying to him/her. Whichever way you look at it, this is one of the most ineffective excuses available.

Excuse #2: “…I’m on my way to the hospital.”

Take a lesson from the “Boy Who Cried Wolf” fable: DO NOT use this excuse unless you are actually trying to rush a sick friend/relative to the emergency room. Just like in excuse #1, lying to an officer will undoubtedly make things worse than just swallowing your pride and accepting the speeding ticket.

Then again, if you are in fact trying to get to a hospital and get pulled over for speeding along the way, your outcome may end with a sympathetic officer who helps you get there more quickly, or you may still end up with a ticket. Ambulances exist for a reason, after all – they are trained to navigate traffic quickly and safely!

Excuse #3: “…I’m almost out of gas”

If your gas light is blinking and you fear you might become stranded soon, speeding is the last thing you want to do. Think about it – the faster you drive, the more fuel you consume to hit those high speeds! And police officers know this better than anyone. So slow down, turn off the AC, and cross your fingers. But don’t speed.

Excuse #4: “…I have to get to the store before it closes!”

This is a fairly common one, and if you are lucky enough to be pulled over by a sympathetic officer who can relate, you might be able to skate by with a warning. Odds are, however, that unless it is a serious purchase (such as an urgent refill of a necessary prescription) you may still be getting a ticket which will negatively impact your premiums.

Excuse #5: “…I only had one drink!”

There is never any excuse for drunk-driving, period. Sometimes even one drink is enough to dangerously impair someone. Plus, when you admit to an officer that you’ve recently consumed alcohol, you’re practically asking them for a DUI citation and a weekend in jail. Be safe and call a cab, or have a sober friend drive you home.

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