Nearly half of American drivers surveyed by Carinsurance.com say they’ve avoided speeding tickets by giving an excuse to a police officer.
Drivers have also avoided tickets by requesting a warning.
Giving an excuse when you get stopped for speeding actually works.
Nearly half of the American drivers surveyed by Carinsurance.com say they’ve avoided speeding tickets by giving an excuse to a police officer. The result is a huge increase from last year’s survey when about one-quarter of drivers acknowledged successfully giving an excuse to get out of a ticket.
Those excuses were often truthful, too. The survey of 1,000 drivers found that only 12% of respondents lied when they gave excuses, which was a significant drop from last year’s survey when about one-third admitted they lied.
This year’s results:
- I haven’t given an excuse to avoid a ticket — 56%
- It was the truth, so I hoped to be honest would get me out of the ticket — 33%
- It was a fib this time because I used it before when it was true and it got me out of a ticket — 9%
- Even though it was a lie, I hoped it would get me out of the ticket — 3%
Men and younger drivers are more apt to use excuses to avoid a speeding citation. 69% of women said they’ve never done that. That’s compared to 43% of men.
Only 25% of drivers between 18 and 24 years old said they haven’t given an excuse to get out of a speeding ticket. That’s compared to about three-quarters of drivers over 55 years old who said they’ve never given an excuse to sidestep a speeding ticket.
Most successful excuses to avoid speeding tickets
This year’s most successful excuse to get out of a speeding ticket is a common refrain at traffic stops — “I didn’t know I was speeding.”
- I didn’t know I was speeding — 26%
- Medical emergency — 25%
- Everyone else was going the same speed — 22%
- Late for work — 21%
- I had to use the bathroom — 20%
- Late for an interview – 16%
- Late to pick up or drop my child off — 15%
- I didn’t see the sign — 14%
- Late for court appointment — 13%
- Late for doctor appointment — 13%
- Late to meet friends — 12%
- I’m bringing home hot food and didn’t want it to get cold — 11%
- Late to meet partner, husband or wife — 11%
- Late for a date — 10%
- Late for a funeral — 10%
- Late for concert, performance, sporting event, dinner reservation — 9%
Source: https://www.carinsurance.com/speeding-ticket-excuses/