Question: Can a state trooper write a traffic ticket for an infraction that they did not witness?
Answer: A peace officer may arrest or issue a citation for some traffic violations and a number of misdemeanor or gross misdemeanor offenses even if the officer didn’t witness it.
The traffic infractions include:
- Driving through columns of school children (within 4 hours)
- DWI
- Failure to stop at a railroad crossing (within 4 hours)
- Failure to yield to an emergency vehicle (within 4 hours)
- Railroad crossing violation (within 4 hours)
- School bus stop arm violations (within 4 hours)
- School cross walk violation (within 4 hours)
If you witness any of the above violations, please report it to your local law enforcement agency, and it will be investigated.
You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober. Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.
