Andrew Simko is an attorney practicing in Florida. He’s actually a former prosecutor, too. These days, he has more than 40,000 followers on TikTok. He often posts advice for drivers trying to avoid legal trouble. For example, if you’re doing everything “right” to begin with, but end up in the back of a squad car having the worst day of your life, defense attorneys like Simko can call for a “motion to suppress” your entire case.

But things are different if you get pulled over for a common car infraction, he warns. And a small citation might snowball into a hell of a legal mess.

Now, I’ll preface all this by saying that MotorBiscuit is in no way offering strategies to “get away” with criminal behavior. This is for drivers wondering why folks often get pulled over in the first place.

3 Common Car Problems That Cops Love to Pull You Over For

1. Illegal window tint

If you’re driving around with tint that’s too dark, the attorney explains, you’re giving an officer a green light to pull you over. It’s a legit infraction, making it an easy justification.

“You gotta get rid of it,” he says.

2. Expired tags

If you know your car’s registration expired, reinstate it immediately to avoid getting pulled over.

These days, a lot of police officers don’t have time for such small infractions, but it’s up to them to give you a pass…or not.

3. Blown light bulbs

“If you have a tail light bulb, you’ve gotta fix it,” Simko advises.

The attorney explains that folks driving a car with any of these infractions might ultimately end up suffering through a vehicle search and landing a massive felony case.

But even if you just want to avoid the inconvenience of getting pulled over or the financial hit of paying for a minor infraction, make sure your car is clear of these issues.