When you get pulled over, it is never going to be a pleasant experience, but it is important to keep you and everyone involved safe by staying calm, being respectful and avoiding anything that may get misconstrued. Here are the main things to consider when aiming for a problem free interaction with law enforcement.
Remain in the car unless told otherwise
When an officer comes to your vehicle they don’t know what to expect so they are looking to make sure that they are protected and you feel safe as well. In order to do this, it is best to stay in the vehicle unless specifically told to exit so that there is not any threat and the officer can go about asking whatever questions they need to ask.
Avoid too much movement and announce what you are doing calmly
So the officer does not misinterpret anything, it is important to not make any sudden movements or if you need to just politely announce what you are doing such as pulling out your wallet etc. This way the officer knows what you are doing and there won’t be worry about any sudden threats.
Be Courteous
As with most situations, being respectful and courteous will get you farther then being abrasive and angry. It’s understandable that this is not an ideal situation but staying calm will help to ensure a speedier process through the whole experience and may even help get you off with a warning in some cases as opposed to a ticket.
Know your rights in these situations
As we have previously discussed, it is vital to stay calm and respectful but at the same time it is also important to know and understand you rights. While you should comply with requests for license and registration or if an officer asks you to exit a vehicle you also have the right to decline searches without a warrant or answering what you may think are leading questions without a lawyer present. While doing this it is best to stay even tempered but you do have the right to stand up for yourself if need be.
In the end most times when being pulled over it will be a non-event especially if you follow the advice above. When defenses are up trouble can occur so it is just best to maintain a calm and cool attitude.
