If you have received a ticket and decide to fight it, you must know what not to say. You want your argument to be strong. Do not offer excuses that are admissions of guilt, no matter how tempting they are, such as:

• “I was going with the flow of traffic”
• “Why didn’t you stop the other four speeding cars?”
• “I was only going five miles over the speed limit.”

These types of extenuating circumstances don’t matter and tell the court that you broke the law.

You also don’t want to offer statements that make you unobservant or negligent:

• “I didn’t see the speed limit sign.”
• “I didn’t see the stop sign.”
• “My glasses were foggy and I couldn’t see the speedometer.”

It is your responsibility to see the stop sign, observe the speed limit and check your speedometer. If you can't drive safely, it's your duty to stop the car. The court usually will return a quick conviction based on these kinds of excuses.

Ignorance of the law is never a good excuse either:

• “I thought you could make a U-Turn anytime.”

If you made an innocent mistake and unintentionally broke the law, this can seem unfair. Nevertheless, don't expect a judge to dismiss the charges simply because you didn't know the rules.

Building a better argument will increase your chance of success. Objective evidence, pictures, research from the scene, diagrams and witnesses can bolster your chances of winning your case. You will have an opportunity to cross-examine the police officer, so be prepared with questions that support your evidence and maintain a professional attitude.

If you have any questions about traffic laws in the area you received it, contact member services to be paired with an attorney.