I think you will find that in most states if an officer is of the belief your vehicle is unsafe, you can be cited. You can then "confess" by paying the fine, or you can go to court in an effort to convince the judge your vehicle was not unsafe. To my knowledge this is a rare situation and I have never heard of this type citation actually being issued although it could be.
I mean this in a respectful way, but sometimes we get caught up an a chase of "what ifs". Most people are real concerned while on the couch reading decals and making guesses, but not enough to weigh their equipment and drive to their law enforcement and ask the questions. Your insurance agent is in the business of selling insurance, do you really think he knows all of the laws? Again, I do not intentionally intend to flame anyone, but simply offer food for thought.
Wayne