The rules of the road are similar to any other complex social system. You typically start with some memorized facts, but you also need to learn by experience. But some events happen so infrequently, like being pulled over by police, that you’ll typically be left panicked and confused if you haven’t put some extra work into preparation. So, what exactly should you do if you’re pulled over for a traffic violation?
Stay Calm
There are a lot of reasons to learn what to do if you’re pulled over. But one of the most important stems from the fact that preparedness helps to fight off fear and panic. The police are typically watching out for any kind of unstable behavior when they pull people over. The panic of someone uncertain what to do, from the eyes of an officer, might not appear all that different from the panic of someone trying to hide intoxication or similar elements.
The first thing to do when you’re pulled over is to take a deep breath, calm yourself, and remember that you almost certainly don’t have anything serious to worry about. If your fight or flight reflex is activated, you’re going to have a much higher chance of escalating any potential issues than you are of escaping them. So focus on the reality of the situation – mundanity. Being pulled over for a traffic violation is red tape, bureaucracy, and paperwork rather than anything truly scary.
Maintain Civility and Work with the Standard Chain of Events
Being pulled over is new to you, but it’s business as usual for the officer. Imagine if you were just trying to do your job and the person you were working with was skittish, constantly demanding explanations, and argumentative. You wouldn’t be very inclined to treat that person nicely, and the same goes for the police. Keep things professional, but not cold, as the chain of events plays out.
When the officer approaches, you should fully lower your window to make communication easier. Don’t step out of your vehicle unless requested to do so. Again, this is to remove concern over confrontation. You should stop your engine for the same reason. You don’t want to imply that you might drive away or start a conflict. Basically, it comes down to the fight or flight reflex. Don’t imply that you’re going to fight, don’t imply the possibility of flight – just breathe and remain calm.
Find Out Why You Were Pulled Over
The officer will typically tell you why you were pulled over right from the start. However, this might be phrased in a way to see if you’ll implicate yourself. For example, it’s common for police to ask if you know why you were pulled over.
You might have an impulse to just guess a likely answer. If you’re pulled over, it’s probably going to be for speeding. However, you don’t want to answer speeding if queried on the reason for the encounter. If you did answer speeding, it may well come off as an admission of such rather than a guess. So, unless you are certain of the reason you were pulled over, it’s best to simply say you don’t know and ask for clarification from the officer.
Dealing With Rights and Requests
Under the Fifth Amendment, you have the right to remain silent, and the Fourth Amendment gives you the right to refuse consent for a search without warrants or probable cause. That said, actually refusing on those grounds should be avoided when possible.
Pulling people over for a minor violation is just a part of the police officer’s day. He wants to have the encounter finished as much as you do. Cameras and additional observation often mean that they have to go through the motions even if they personally don’t think there’s any reason to. If you do want to hold up your rights to refusal, make sure you do so in a respectful way that makes it clear you’re not looking for a fight.
The Aftermath
When the officer says you’re free to go, be careful about merging back into traffic. If you need to take a moment to collect yourself and calm your nerves, then do so rather than risking a traffic violation right in front of the police officer. You have several legal options if you have been issued a citation for a traffic violation. You could pay the ticket, although beyond the fine, you may incur increases to your insurance premium and points on your license. You may also consider consulting with an attorney if you believe there are mistakes on your ticket, or if you are interested in pursuing a reduction or dismissal.
