Getting a ticket in Alaska
Where you can pay your tickets in Alaska
Ways you can avoid getting a ticket when you are driving
Final Word
Getting a ticket in Alaska
Just like any other state, you can get a ticket because of your car or driving for a variety of reasons. These reasons include illegal parking, speeding, not signaling and more.
Alaska has a particularly low amount of police. There were less than two hundred officers employed for every 1,000 residents according to a 2008 census statistic. More than one third of Alaskan communities have no police whatsoever.
However, this does not mean it is impossible to get a ticket if you choose to drive poorly.
Where you can pay your tickets in Alaska
In Alaska, you have several options of paying your ticket (so long as it does not require a court appearance). You can pay it online, by mail, or in person.
To pay online, you can visit this link. To pay by mail you should search the court directory and mail your check and ticket to the appropriate court address. Be sure checks are made out to “State of Alaska”. To pay in person, you will need to visit the particular court that your ticket is attached to and write out a check or money order.
Ways you can avoid getting a ticket when you are driving
If you live in Alaska or even if you are just visiting, you should use the following tips to help you avoid being ticketed:
- Pull over right away – As soon as you see the officer with his lights on behind you, you should pull over immediately. You do not want them to think you are leading them on some sort of a chase.
- Find a safe spot if possible – If possible, and without taking too long, you should try to find a less busy side street or even a parking lot. This will provide more safety for the officer when they are approaching your vehicle and will increase the chances of being let off with a warning.
- Engine off, keys on dash, hands on wheel – Unspoken protocol says that you must shut off your engine, take your keys out and throw them on the dashboard in plain sight and you must keep your hands on the wheel at 10 and 2. This will show the officer that you are fully complying with the stop which is a very good first step.
- Be honest and polite – The officer knows why they pulled you over and witnessed what you did. Lying or acting aloof does not change that one bit. In fact, saying that you have “no idea” why you got pulled over might serve to annoy the officer making it more likely that you end up getting a ticket. Do not get “snippy” either. Being polite and well-spoken will help your case as well.
- Quiet down – if you took the advice above and shut your car off, then you will not need to worry about your radio/stereo making noise during the stop. However, you should take a moment to silence or shut off your phone as well as telling any passengers to quiet down.
Final Word
Getting a ticket in Alaska is as standard as it is anywhere else. You can pay online, mail in your payment, or pay in person. By driving safely and abiding by all traffic and parking laws, you can avoid getting a ticket altogether. If you do get pulled over, pull over quickly, admit what you did, and be polite to the officer.
