You’re driving down the highway thinking about work, those cute shoes you’ve finally decided to buy at the store or, maybe, that it would be nice to go out for dinner tonight. The last thing on your mind is the variance between your speed and the speed limit.

Just then, you notice the nose of a white car off the side of the road behind a large clump of bushes. As you draw closer, you see the lights on top and the uniformed officer inside. In a millisecond, your mind shifts gears as you simultaneously lighten the pressure on the accelerator.

The previously neglected speedometer now becomes the focus of your attention. You feel a sense of relief, assuming your speed is within the posted limit. If not, your pulse begins to quicken as your eyes shift to the rearview mirror. Gazing in the mirror you utter a little prayer: “Please don’t pull me over. Please don’t pull me over.”

Maybe the officer was busy writing reports and didn’t notice you speeding by, even if only slightly over the limit. On the other hand, you may see the lights go on and watch as the squad car pulls out behind you. Bummer.

 Tom, an Illinois State Trooper, recently shared some dos and don’ts of the proper etiquette when you’re pulled over for a traffic violation.

The first question, when you see the lights go on behind you, is, “Where should I pull over.”

Safety is the key factor, both for you and the officer. The officer is unlikely to appreciate it if you pull over where he or she has to stand in the middle of traffic while talking to you through the driver’s window. Since that officer can make an expensive decision on your behalf, if for no other reason, it’s best that you’re considerate of their welfare, too.

The protocol for pulling over depends on the type of road, as well. On a highway, the nearest shoulder is best – whether to the right or left. What you want to avoid doing is crossing multiple lanes in the process. However, on a side street, pulling to the right curb or onto the shoulder is customary. Be sure to pull over as far as safely possible.

Once you’re pulled over, then what? Tom said that you should just sit tight, though you may want to have your license and insurance cards ready when the officer approaches.

“Don’t exit the vehicle and come at the cop,” Tom said. Such behavior can make the officer nervous – never a good idea when someone has a sidearm.

He also suggests you keep your hands visible, such as on the steering wheel.

If you want to argue the ticket, that’s your choice but it probably won’t endear you to the officer. Your efforts will, most likely, sway the officer in terms of whatever flexibility they have in terms of deciding if you’ll receive a ticket.

Tom said that, with the State Police, if they pull you over they have to give you a ticket or a warning. “If I’m stopping you, it’s because of something you did,” he said.

Local police and county sheriffs may have more flexibility. How and when they apply that flexibility is about the same either way. The further over the limit you were driving, or the more hazardous your maneuver, the more likely you’ll receive a full-fledged, meet-you-in-court ticket.

Of course, you don’t always have to go to court. You can pay the ticket. Even Tom doesn’t recommend that.

“You can go to court and ask for court supervision or traffic school,” he said. The prior requires that you go a certain period of time without another ticket. It’s not readily available to those who commit a more serious violation, or for those who commit violations with frequency. Traffic school lasts about four hours.

If you pay the ticket, it’s considered a guilty plea and the ticket is permanently placed on your driving record. This makes it harder to obtain court supervision or traffic school in the future. It also bumps up the cost of your auto insurance.

In the worst-case scenario, if you have too many moving violations within a year, you may have your license suspended. How long depends on a point system worked out by the State: http://www.dmv.org/il-illinois/point-system.php.

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