Legal Question in Traffic Law in California

seatbelt ticket

It's 1am and me and some friends are coming back from Las Vegas. We're about 10 seconds from home when I notice a cop driving towards me...he's going westbound and i'm headed east. All of a sudden he does a u-turn and pulls me over. He comes up to my window and asks me why i'm not wearing my sealtbelt. In my head, i'm thinking WTF because not only am I wearing my sealtbelt but I'm also wearing a white t-shirt so i'm sure even he can see the black strap across my chest! ''What are you talking about, I have my seatbelt on'' I said. I see his face and know he feels stupid, so he looks around in the car and asks why my passengers in the back don't have theirs on. 1st of all, there's no way he could have known my passengers IN THE BACK weren't wearing a seatbelt? He give's me a ticket saying they're my responsibility and I should make sure they are buckled in at all times! Can this D*CK really do that? Can he really just pull me over without an excuse and look for something to pin on me? Why do I get a ticket if I had my belt on, they're all over 21 (adults) so shouldn't THEY get a ticket and not me?


Asked on 5/18/09, 2:16 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Re: seatbelt ticket

So fight the ticket. Read the Nolo Press book, Fight Your Ticket.

And a special tip for people who get tickets on the I-15: You have the right to have the traffic case heard in San Bernardino (the county seat). Just write "Request County Seat" on the ticket next to your signature. An officer who is based out of Barstow might not show up.

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Answered on 5/18/09, 4:15 pm


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