What to do when you get pulled over:
• Remain calm. Obviously, the sirens and lights are upsetting. But the police officer will be more at ease if you are calm.
• Roll all of your windows down so the officer can see inside the car. Turn on the interior lights at night. Put your hands on the steering wheel, open, so they can see that you’re not concealing a weapon.
• Don’t reach for anything until the officer approaches the car and asks for your driver license, proof of insurance and perhaps even your registration. No sudden moves.
• They will likely ask you if you know why they stopped you.
• They may ask you to step out of the car. If so, you are required to comply.
• They may ask to search your car. You may say no. It is your right. A warrant will then need to be obtained.
• They may touch your car to leave fingerprints and proof that they came in contact with your car.

Pulling over is not an admission of guilt, since you are required to pull to the right and stop when an emergency vehicle (including police) is approaching from behind. They may be attempting to stop someone else ahead of you or in another lane. If it’s you that they’re after, bummer. Some people are recording traffic stops on their phone. This is not against the law, but since they want you hands on the wheel, and most states have hands-free laws regarding cell phones, you may wind up with another ticket that you can’t afford. The police officer may be recording you as well with a body cam, or dash cam. Perhaps investing in a dash cam of your own is a better idea than attempting to record the traffic stop on your phone.

And, it is of utmost importance to be polite. If you extend that simple courtesy, you should get it in return.

If you’re unfortunate and end up getting a ticket, then you can take our defensive driving course if you’re located in Texas, or our traffic school if located in Florida.

Until next week…

Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist

Traffic Stops – Comedy Defensive Driving School

The post Traffic Stops – What to do when a Cop Pulls You Over appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.

1. Slow down and turn your turn signal on to get to the closest and safest place to stop, whether this is on the right shoulder of the road or highway, or in the closest parking lot. You’ll want to pull over as quickly as possible, but more so in a safe and calm manner.

2. After you have pulled over, make sure you turn off your radio and your car engine. Roll down your window and place your hands on the steering wheel. Police officers are killed making routing traffic stops on a daily basis, so anything you can do to assuage their heightened alertness and portray that you are cooperating in a calm manner is key.

3. Don’t go rummaging through your purse or wallet until the officer gets to your car door. This may indicate you are looking to hide something or possibly reaching for a weapon.

4. When the officer gets to your door, the first thing they will probably ask is to see your license and registration, and possible insurance. Most of these things should be kept in your car or on your person.

5. In most cases, anything you say to an officer may later be used against you in court. An officer may hand you a ticket, and in most cases signing it is not an admission of guilt, just a promise to pay the fine or show up in court. Most of the time, the correct response to a police officer is, “No,sir” or “Yes,sir.”

6. The police normally cannot search your car unless they find probable cause … but this can be anything they deem suspicious from a weird smell to an object in plain view. Don’t give them any reason to further detain you, follow the steps above!

There are a few instances when extra precaution may be used when getting pulled over. If you are alone on a dark highway or side road, it is within your rights to continue driving until you find a well-lit or more populated area. You may also ask that an officer identify himself/herself if getting pulled over by an unmarked or strange vehicle with flashing lights. Getting pulled over certainly is no fun, but following these precautions can save you a lot of grief!

The post What To Do If You’re Being Pulled Over! appeared first on Comedy Defensive Driving®.