Traffic tickets are not only expensive, but can cause an increase in your insurance, and every one moves you a few points closer to losing your license. With a little forethought and caution, though, they are avoidable, even if you aren't willing to drive 55.

Part 1- Preparation

The first step in avoiding a ticket is choosing the proper vehicle and preparing it. This means:

1. Choose a car that doesn't draw attention. High- performance cars and motorcycles are magnets for police attention. If you need an argument to pass on buying that Lamborghini, here it is.

2. Choose your modifications with care. The flashy (wheel spinners) and the fast (spoilers) can make a cop curious about what's inside. Deeply tinted windows, often illegal, can make a cop uneasy about what is inside. You don't want to face an uneasy cop.

3. Don't sport bumper stickers that taunt the police ("No donuts on board") or promote illegal activities ("Legalize Hemp Now").

4. Clean up your interior. A car full of fast food trash doesn't suggest a worthy citizen driver.

5. Take care of exterior maintenance. Cracked windshields and broken lights are no-brainer cop bait.

6. Make sure your license plates are mounted properly (not inside the rear window, people!), current, and that any frame does not cover up the registration sticker..

7. Buy and use a radar detector where legal.

8. Use a CB radio when traveling highways with truck traffic. Note the mileage markers on the highway to understand the driver's warnings about where "bears" are waiting.

9. Wear your seatbelt.

10. Carry a valid license, proof of insurance, and car registration.

Next: Part 2: Driving to avoid a ticket