So to prepare you for the winter months ahead here is a little advice to help you get from point A to point B safe and sound.

1. Maximize your driving visibility by removing all snow and ice from your vehicle before you take off.  Windows should also be defrosted before you start driving.
2. Fill windshield washer reservoir with a non-freezing washing solution.
3. Make sure all snow is removed from your lights, headlights, taillights and running lights.
4. Use snow tires for extra traction.
5. Allow more distance between you and the car in front of you.
6. Approach bridges and over passes with caution.  Although they may be cleared of snow, they might be very icy.

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Here are some tips to help you avoid unnecessary accidents:

• ALWAYS wear your seat belt
• Check your mirrors frequently and know what is going on around you at all times
• Keep enough distance between your vehicle and others on the road
• Avoid speeding and/or weaving in and out of traffic
• Drive according to road and weather conditions

Aside from defensive driving, it also helpful to know which streets are safer to drive on than others. There is a website called Safe Road Maps which allows you to look up all of the streets in your area where accidents have occured. You can easily filter the search to specific criteria, such as drivers’ ages, genders, causes of accidents, etc. A safe driver is a smart and informed driver. Do not head out on the road thinking that nothing bad could ever happen to you… Stay alert and be cautious.

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DO:

1. Pull Off Road to Right Side - Find the safest place to pull off to the right side, avoid intersections and curves in the road. If there is not a safe place at the moment, slow down and turn on your hazards to signify that you are aware the officer is back there until you can find a safe place to pull over. Make sure to also pull off to the side far enough so that the officer does not have to stand in the roadway.
2. Turn On Interior Lights if Dark Out - This not only ensures officer safety by allowing them to see what is in your vehicle and what you are reaching for (ie. weapons), but it also makes finding your license, registration, proof of auto insurance and any other documentation you may have to present at the time.
3. Turn Engine Off - Leaving your vehicle on may give the officer the impression that you might flee.
4. Roll Down Window Completely - If you have power windows, make sure to do this before turning off the engine. Turning the vehicle on a second time will certainly give the impression of attempting to flee. If you only crack the window, it may frustrate the officer or even make him/her suspicious of sobriety. In the case of questioning your sobriety, they may ask you to step outside of the vehicle for field tests.
5. Keep Seatbelt On - Taking your seatbelt off could lead to an unnecessary ticket because the officer will think you were driving without one on.
6. Keep Hands In Clear View - Preferably on the steering wheel. Only reach for license, registration, and auto insurances when asked for it. It also puts the officer at ease when you inform them where you are reaching and what it is you are looking for. Try to keep everything in an easily accessible place. Searching for an extended period of time may induce suspicion that you are looking for a weapon.
7. Answer Questions Succinctly and Politely - There is no need to give extra information unless asked for it… Remember, officers can use anything you say or do against you! It is also a good idea to be polite and speak to an officer with respect. Address the person as sir, ma’am, or officer.
8. Comply with Officer’s Request - Within reason, of course. Refusal to comply might be deemed as resistance and lead to an escalated situation or an unnecessary ticket.
9. Get Officer’s Information - Especially if you feel that the officer has mistreated you in anyway. It is best to get his/her name and badge number, and then file a complaint report with legal council.

DON’T:

1. Drive For Extended Period of Time - Officers view this as intentional and assume you are ignoring them or trying to flee if you do not pull over in a reasonable amount of time.
2. Slam On Your Brakes - It is not wise to slam on your breaks when you see those bright red flashing lights. The cop has already targeted you, there is no need to draw more attention to yourself.
3. Leave Your Vehicle- Getting out of your vehicle can be perceived in one of two ways. The first one being you are trying to flee because of a previous scrime you committed (ie. kidnapping, murder, car-jacking, etc). The second scenario is that you are aggressive and want to attack the officer. Regardless of what the officer may think, it is best to stay in the car anyway because it is safer than standing out on the road with traffic speeding by. However, you should get out of the vehicle if the officer requests you to do so. When exiting the vehicle, you should pull the keys out of the ignition.
4. Make Abrupt or Sudden Movements - Abrupt or sudden movements can be taken as threatening gestures. The officer may think you are reaching for a weapon or planning to attack.
5. Reach Under the Seat - Again, this is seen as a threat to the officer because he/she does not know if you have any form of weapon underneath the seat.
6. Engage Officer In Unnecessary Conversation - As stated above, there is no need to give the officer more information than he is looking for. Remember, anything you say can and will be used against you if it is self-incriminating in any manner. This includes passengers as well.
7. Complain to the Officer - While it is discouraged by the department, officers can and will give tickets based on attitude. The ruder you are with an officer, the more likely he/she is to give you a ticket. There is only so much verbal abuse a person can take before becoming angry. Try to be as nice as possible without being fake.
8. Lie or Make Excuses - Traffic cops have heard every excuse in the book, so you might as well just save it for someone who might actually believe you. Own up to the fact that you did something wrong. If you honestly do not know why you were pulled over, ask for the reason politely. Honesty and sincerity may lead to reduced ticket or even just a verbal or written warning.
9. Peel Away - Common sense should tell you that peeling away after being pulled over will only result in you being pulled over again by the same cop only a little bit further down the road. Even if you are extremely angry or think it is unfair that you got a ticket, there is no need to show your contempt by speeding away. Besides, do you really want a second ticket?? I think not…

If you keep these tips in mind the next time you get pulled over, things should go smoothly and you may even get out of a ticket.

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BAM!! A week or two later you find this piece of paper in the mail with pictures of your car all over it. It is a traffic ticket asking you to pay up for that one moment where you thought you got off the hook for skating through that light or going just a tad bit too fast. Guess your luck wasn’t that great after all… Yeah, well, neither is mine. After taking the same route to work for almost a year now, I’ve been wondering if I was going to be unfortunate enough to see one of those tickets in the mail… I received my first traffic camera ticket yesterday. The worst part was I was driving someone else’s car at the time, so they received the ticket first! Oh boy. Never fear, though! These tickets do not go on anyone’s driving record, including the owner of the car. You simply mail in a check or money order for the cited amount with the waiver sheet to avoid a date with the judge and that is all.

After paying the $95 ticket, I decided to do some research online and find out where all of these sneaky little cameras are in the Cleveland area. An official listing of traffic camera locations can be found on the City of Cleveland website. It specifies what type of cameras are installed, gives exact addresses and even lays out what direction they are facing on the streets.

Another site that lists local traffic cameras is PhotoEnforce.com. You simply enter your city and state in the drop boxes to get a listing of traffic cameras in the area. Like the City of Cleveland’s listing, this page gives the intersection location and camera types. However, the neat part about this site is it also lists the fines for each location, as well as a map to give you a better idea of where the camera is. This is especially useful when traveling out of town. The last thing you want to worry about is paying a traffic ticket while on a road trip or vacation.

Now for the part you have all been waiting for, the Top 5 Speed Traps in Cleveland. According to Cleveland’s Channel 5 News, the following locations have issued the most tickets for traffic cameras in our area

#5 Broadway and Baxter in Slavic Village with 403 tickets.

#4 East 79th and Kinsman Avenue at 414 issued tickets.

#3 Lorain and Carnegie avenues had 418 tickets.

#2 East 105th Street and Park Lane, where 468 tickets were issued.

#1 West 65th Street and Clark Avenue with an amazing 529 tickets sent out.

If you can’t avoid these areas in your daily commute, at least be aware that you may find a ticket in your mail too if you don’t follow the traffic laws. With that in mind… Happy driving!

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