What You Should Do or Not Do During a Traffic Stop

A routine traffic stop makes many people nervous. Many people do not understand the law and their rights well enough to feel comfortable interacting with law enforcement. The fearful child in them comes out when faced with the authority of a police officer. If you are uncertain of how to conduct yourself during a routine traffic stop, here are some basic rules of conduct.

Tips for Dealing with Traffic Stops

It can be unnerving to get pulled over by a cop when you are driving. Whether or not you broke any laws or regulations, you may become anxious and have difficulty figuring out what you should do. Here are some tips to help you the next time you find yourself talking to an officer:

Stay calm. Breathing deeply can help you manage some of the anxiety you are feeling. Another trick for staying calm is to use your mind for critical thinking. If you are thinking critically, your emotions will generally drop into the background.
Pull over immediately upon seeing or hearing police lights and sirens. You need to find a safe place to pull over.
Be polite. No matter what attitude the cop takes, you should remain polite. Treating an officer with respect can help tremendously. Remember, the police man likely has authority and there is no reason to aggravate him by having an attitude. Let the officer take the lead in the conversation. Only answer questions that you are asked, and try not to incriminate yourself by offering evidence that has not been asked for.
Stay in your vehicle unless you are asked to step out of it. Most routine traffic stops do not require you to get out of your vehicle unless it is unsafe to conduct a discussion where you are parked.
Because vehicle searches have been found to be constitutional upon reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot, a police officer can search your vehicle without your consent and without a warrant if he has probable cause to believe that the search will render evidence of a crime. Don't give him probable cause, and you should not be searched.

Getting Legal Help

If you were arrested or charged with a crime after being pulled over for a traffic violation, a criminal defense attorney can help you assess your case. You may be unaware of one or more lines of defense available in your case. Attorneys are skilled at finding the strengths in your story and helping you fight for your freedom in the face of criminal charges.

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