class a drivers dismiss your ticket

Some Sound Advice Regarding CDL Ticket Avoidance

If you are a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) holder in California, it is a great idea to know the ins-and-outs of CDL ticket avoidance.  After all we are discussing your livelihood and probably that of your entire family.  To help, below is a loosely based recap of an excerpt we recently found at www.soyouwanna.com.

The first rule of not getting a traffic ticket is not putting yourself into the position of looking like you should get one. Take a look at some of the unwritten rules, including your car's color, modifications, condition, cleanliness, and stickers.

Color: The best way to avoid a traffic ticket is to make sure that nothing about your commercial car or truck draws an officer's attention. Flashy and bright colors, particularly red, draw a person's attention, namely a cop's attention. Light, pastel colors have a tendency to blend with the environment and dark colors like black and navy not only blend in, they look serious. So, if you have chosen a brightly colored vehicle, know that your chances of being pulled over are a bit higher than the speed-demon in the black car zooming past you.

Modifications: Any additional sound or light modifications can also draw a cop's attention. The neon running lights, thumping bass, straightened exhaust pipes, and glass packs might make you look cooler but could get points on your license (the more points you get on your license, the closer you are to losing your license, possibly permanently). Additionally, cops seem to hate tinted windows. If you don't have tinted windows, don't get them.

Condition: This is simple. Cars, like clothes, can make a good or bad impression. Pretend that your commercial car or truck is on its way to an interview. If you want your car to get the job, you will clean it up and maybe even give it a fresh coat of wax. A possible explanation is that people who take care of their cars look as if they are responsible drivers. However, a dented car or truck is one that has gotten into accidents before, thus catching a cop's eye rather easily and making him/her prone to fine you. If your car has rust spots or dents, get those taken care if possible.

Cleanliness: The cleanliness of your commercial car or truck also makes a definite impression with the cop who pulls you over. Again, assumptions are made about your personality based on your car or rig. Make sure the exterior of your car is clean, but also focus on the interior. Don't hang anything on your rear view mirror. Clean out the inside of your car from clutter. Make sure that your glove box is fairly clean so that you don't have to search for your registration. And above all, clean out your ashtrays. They usually draw a cop's attention.

Stickers: Even if you're taking a long, strange trip, the stickers on the back of your car can pose potential problems. There are two sticker types you should avoid. The first type includes those stickers that are anti-cop or pro-violence such as "Bad Cop…No Donut," "DARE to keep cops away from donuts" and "This Car Is Insured by Smith & Wesson." Of course, you are smart enough not to place something like this on your commercial car or truck.  The second kinds are those that support bands that may provoke a cop to make assumptions. While this is grossly, grossly, grossly unfair, Grateful Dead and Phish stickers catch a cop's eye and usually lead them to make assumptions about drug use. If you choose to leave these stickers on your car or truck, just know that you might have to fight the assumptions they produce.