I haven’t been pulled over by a police officer in over seven years. What’s my secret? I try not to do things that get people pulled over. In order to help you avoid getting pulled over, I talked to a number of law enforcement officials and asked them the most common reasons they pull people over. Here’s what they told me.
Swerving: This makes perfect sense. If you are swerving while driving, odds are you are either distracted, impaired or both.
Issues with your lights: Headlights, taillights, signal lights or tag lights. A great way to not get pulled over is to make sure all of your lights are properly working. One officer suggested giving a quick walk around your car before you start to drive to make sure all of your lights are on and working.
Running yellow lights: This was a big one. A number of officers said people speeding through yellow lights is a big red flag. When in doubt, stop before the light turns red, not after.
Not using your turn signals: Whether on surface streets or interstates, if you are changing lanes or making a turn, always use your turn signals. Not only is it extremely dangerous not to use them all the time, it is against the law.
Texting: This is fast becoming the number one reason people get pulled over. Be it texting, emailing, tweeting or facebooking, our addiction to our smart phones carries over to our vehicles. Not only is it very dangerous and against the law, most officers will pull you over and write you a ticket. You should also note, that even if you are stopped at a stop light, it is still against the law to text. You've been warned.
Driving too fast or too slow: Law enforcement officials say this is a dead giveaway for impaired drivers. Whether you are going well below the posted speed limit or well above the posted speed limit, if there is an officer around, you are likely getting popped.
Improper use of high beams: Forgetting to turn off your high beams when facing on-coming traffic is a common reason why people get pulled over.
Tag applied for: According to officers this long used sign is not legal. You either have a temporary tag or a permanent tag. A cardboard sign reading "Tag Applied For" is going to get you stopped.
Not wearing your seat belt: It is hard to believe in this day and age that people don't wear their seat belts but according to many officers it is still a common mistake. Not wearing your seat belt while driving is illegal in the state of Georgia, and if a police officer observes you not wearing yours, you are getting a ticket.
Aggressive driving: Speeding, rapidly changing in and out of lanes and tailgating are all forms of aggressive driving. Aggressive driving is very dangerous and also very likely to get you pulled over.
Passing the balk line or crosswalk: You know the line painted at traffic lights that indicate where you should stop? Well, they are called balk lines apparently and they are there for many reasons. If you don't stop before them, you are breaking the law. They same goes for crosswalks in intersections. If you stop at a light and are in the crosswalk, that is against the law.
Expired tags: As one officer told me, "Make sure you pay your birthday tax!" A license plate with an expired sticker on it is a sure fire way to get pulled over. The officer also reminded me that your tag expires on your birthday, not at the end of your birthday month.
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