Fun fact: Expiration stickers on car license plates are obsolete. Without one, a patrolman won’t know if your registration has expired, right? Nope! You could be a model driver but if a bored cop ends up behind you while you wait for the light to change, you will most likely get pulled over and find yourself in big trouble. So, try to avoid these 6 common missteps that might trip up even the most experienced drivers.

6 Common Ways to Get Pulled Over:

1. Not slowing down fast enough when the speed limit drops–

Has this ever happened to you? You’re driving in a 50-mph zone and all of a sudden – without warning – the speed limit drops to 35-mph. It’s an easy way to get a ticket if you’re not paying close attention. Also, watch out for active construction sites and school zones. While these areas provide plenty of notice with their flashing lights and signs, if you don’t slow down to the required speed limit you could end-up with a hefty ticket. And rightfully so.

2. Driving the speed limit around the holidays –

The average driver goes about 5-10 mph faster than the speed limit. While this can get you a ticket, if you are driving exactly 55-mph on a road with a 55-mph speed limit, you may actually look suspicious; a cop might reason that you are trying to look sober.

3. The type of car you drive –

If your car is considered a muscle car, a beater, or a deluxe import, then you make an attractive target for a roaming patrol officer. A beater car tends to have a broken tail light or a shattered mirror—anything that could obstruct your ability to drive safely. Muscle cars and flashy, expensive cars are stereotyped as being loud, fast and aggressive, even if that might not be the case. So even if you aren’t doing anything wrong, the car you drive may attract the police like bees to honey.

4. Rolling stop signs –

No matter where you are, whether it’s in a city or out in the countryside,  if you don’t come to a complete stop at the stop sign you’re breaking the law. Drivers not only have to stop but should hold the stop for 2-3 seconds just to be safe. The police officer who pulls you over won’t care that you’ve always done it and have never been given a ticket. Rolling through a stop sign is always a gamble and remember: the house always wins.

5. Bumper stickers –

Just like the car itself, bumper stickers on a car can be a judgement factor and cause for discrimination. Let’s say you did roll through the stop sign, and just maybe the officer doesn’t agree with the messages and opinions displayed all over your bumper.  He might be more likely to pull you over and give you a ticket. While it’s not a proven fact, the perception could be that the driver whose car is full of bumper stickers is a more passionate person and therefore more likely to disregard the law if they don’t agree with it.

6. Unusual Infractions –

• Connecticut: The sound of a siren causes two reactions: I’m in trouble or I need to get to the side of the road. Emergency vehicles go fast because every moment they aren’t at a scene, someone could be dying. Perhaps Connecticut fires burn slower than anywhere else in the country, because In Connecticut, a fire engine cannot exceed 25 m.p.h. – even on the way to a fire. Do they have to wait for stoplights as well?
• Florida: Florida is a state with so many cultures that it’s a miracle the panhandle hasn’t seceded. You can tell by the types of pets they own. In Florida by law, you must feed the parking meter if you tie an elephant, goat, or alligator to it.
• Massachusetts: Another animal rule, which can be fixed with a loophole. In Massachusetts you cannot drive with a gorilla in your backseat. So naturally, gorillas can ride shotgun.

No one likes getting pulled over; even if they know they broke the law.  No one likes accidents either. Either way, your financial security and sometimes your nerve could fly out the window the moment you hear those sirens. Make sure you’re prepared for an accident by having the car insurance you need. Visit www.good2go.com to get a free, no-obligation quote for low-cost, minimum limits auto insurance that can keep you driving legal for less.