Living the College Life: What Should I do If I'm Pulled Over by the Police?

Buy this book »

Winter Park, Florida, is typical of many college towns. The low-crime city, located near Orlando in Central Florida, is home to about 25,000 residents, as well as Rollins College. "Aloma [Avenue], the main road to school, is an especially notorious speed trap" with traffic cops who are numerous and aggressive, says Rollins student Selena Moshell, who's paid fines between $100 and $150 for going 10 to 15 mph over the speed limit.

Similar spots exist on or near college campuses nationwide. And while there are occasions when students receive a summons unfairly, it's more likely that the police had a good reason to make the traffic stop. When this happens, students say the best strategy is to play it straight.

"Tell the truth and appeal to their sympathy," says Erick M. Bousman of the University of South Carolina. "More importantly, avoid being pulled over in the first place."

Lauren Hardgrove (Ohio University) agrees. She says cops know when students are lying, so rather than insult them with outlandish excuses or explanations, try cooperating"and maybe you will get off with a warning. Lauren offers this advice based on two traffic tickets she's received. Although she was honest, she admits to being less than pleasant, and realizes that politeness might be the best way to go.

John Andersen (University of Missouri Columbia) suggests not panicking when you see the police lights in the rear-view mirror, regardless of whether you committed an infraction. "One night I was on the way home from my girlfriend's around midnight when I was pulled over by three state police cars at the same time," he recalls. "It turned out that they were just looking for a stolen car similar to mine and had pulled me over because I crossed the fog line'"that white line on the outside of the road. I received no citation and the officer was very apologetic."

If you disagree with the ticket you're about to receive, you might want to try politely explaining your point of view, but don't press the matter if you're rebuffed. Sensing your determination to prevail, the officer might seek to bolster his case by issuing a second summons for failure to wear a seatbelt or a secondary infraction, if it's warranted.