When you're driving, being pulled over for a speeding ticket is one of the most expensive mistakes that you are in a position to make. Here is everything that you need to know and worry about when you get pulled over by a police officer for speeding.

Pay the ticket

The average cost of a speeding ticket is $150, though depending on the violation it may cost as much as $2,500 or more. The cost of your ticket will vary depending on how much you exceeded the speed by, location and more.

Car Insurance Rates

When you get a moving violation, you can expect that your car insurance rates will increase as a result.

A Suspended License

Most states use driver violation point systems where your license will eventually get suspended for violating certain laws. In New York, for example, your license is suspended after 11 points. Speeding violations on their own are worth between 3 and 11 points.

The best way to avoid these tickets is by doing the obvious: not speeding. However, sometimes it is unfortunately easy to forget how fast you're going in the moment. Here are some useful tips that you can use to avoid a speeding ticket if you get pulled over:

Don't Worry

Oftentimes when you're speeding, you may be completely oblivious to the fact that you're breaking any kind of law at all. You only realize that you're speeding when you look at the mirror and see the patrol car, but by then it is far too late. At this point, you need to stop, take a deep breath and prepare for interacting with a police officer. Look for a safe place to pull over, pull out your driver's license, registration and insurance and get ready to obey all instructions. This will go a long way towards immediately establishing a positive rapport.

Don't Get Out of Your Car

Make sure that you remain inside your vehicle at all times once you're pulled over unless you are specifically instructed to exit by the officer. You'll be able to talk to the officer once you roll down your window. Getting out of your car may be interpreted as aggression, which will only make the situation worse, not better. Make sure that your hands are on the wheel where they can clearly be seen and await further instructions.

Talk with the Officer

When talking with an officer, your absolute best bet is to keep things as professional, as calm and as polite as possible. Make sure that you don't say anything that could be misinterpreted as sarcastic or rude. Remember that your goal should always be to keep the conversation as friendly as you can. Remember that the officer is aware of how fast you were going. What they're looking for now is to see how you will respond. If you were really speeding, the first thing that you should do is apologize. If you don't think you were speeding, don't get rude or insulting.

Owning Your Mistake

Keep in mind that police officers are just regular people, too. They can sympathize with how easy it is to forget how fast you were going every now and again. If your infraction was minor enough, there is a solid chance that you might get out of it altogether with only a brief warning. This is especially true if you have a clean driving record.

Getting Ticketed

If you do get a ticket, don't worry. You can attend your local traffic school or defensive driving course to help gain the knowledge and tools necessary to avoid these types of situations in the future. By enrolling in these types of courses, you can lower your insurance rates, get out of any points and maybe even get your ticket thrown out altogether. The most important thing to remember, however, is that you shouldn't speed in the future or you'll end up getting ticketed all over again.