Citizens are stopped on a daily basis by the police for speeding. Some drivers take responsibility, some get argumentative. The result is either a traffic citation or a warning citation. Motorists can also receive traffic tickets if they're involved in a traffic collision. In most cases, a ticket does get issued. While some police departments allow officers discretion–is it really worth it to issue citations for traffic accidents with little damage?–others have a blanket policy to write tickets for all offenders in traffic collisions. As a result, police departments often times get criticized for being "ticket happy."

In Alpharetta, Georgia Officer Daniel Capps was fired for not issuing a traffic ticket to the party at fault, Charles Westover, in a traffic collision. There was minimal damage to the bumper of the other vehicle, and Capps decided it wasn't enough to warrant a ticket. This ultimately led to his termination from the department.