At one point or another, there’s a good chance that you’ll wind up getting pulled over for some type of traffic violation throughout the course of your life. And while this can be a scary situation, if you know how to handle yourself, there’s a very good chance that you can make it out of this police interaction completely unscathed, other than the fact that you might have landed yourself with a speeding ticket or the like.
To help you feel more confident and at ease the next time you’re asked to pull over by a police officer, here are three things to remember when getting pulled over by the cops.
Be Safe When Pulling Over
As soon as you see the flashing lights behind your car and hear that siren turn on, it’s best to start pulling off of the road as soon as possible. Just make sure, however, that you’re able to do this in a safe way.
According to Nolo.com, you should signal with your blinker that you’re attempting to pull over and get a safe distance off the road as quickly as possible without putting yourself or others in danger. As you’re pulling off the road, try your best to leave enough room for the police officer to approach your car without having to worry too much about his or her own safety. And once you’re stopped, turn your engine off and wait for the officer to come to your vehicle.
Don’t Do Anything That Could Be Interpreted As Threatening
While you might be nervous about what’s going to happen and anticipating what you’ll need to do during this traffic stop, it’s going to be best for you if you just sit still until the officer approaches you.
If you attempt to get out of your car immediately or start rummaging around for your license or car registration, Driving-Tests.org shares that the officer might interpret your movement as a threat, which could put you in danger. So until the officer can see you and recognize that you’re not being threatening, make sure you don’t do anything that could be construed as a threatening gesture or maneuver.
Try Your Best To Be Polite and Respectful
Even if you don’t feel like you did anything wrong or were pulled over for a legitimate reason, Debby Mayne, a contributor to The Spruce, shares that during a traffic stop isn’t the time to argue with the officer. Instead of doing this, try your best to be polite, respectful, and keep a level head.
If you do feel like there was something wrong with your traffic stop, contact an attorney after your traffic stop is over and you can argue your point later in court.
If you’re nervous about the possibility of being pulled over by a police officer, try to remember the advice mentioned above to help you stay safe and get through this experience.
