What should you do when pulled over by a police officer?

Pull over as far to the right as possible, so that the officer won’t have to worry about being clipped by vehicles in the right lane when coming up to your window. After you’ve pulled over to a safe spot, you should normally turn off your engine.

What do you say when pulled over for a traffic violation?

For example, when asked to hand over your license, registration, and proof of insurance, you should say something like, “Okay,” or, “Sure,” and fork over the documents. Some lawyers caution that an officer who pulls you over for a traffic violation has decided whether to give you a ticket before approaching your car.

Should you get out of a car with a police officer?

Clearly, you should get out if asked or instructed to do so. Simply put: You should follow the officer’s directives but begin with the assumption that you should remain in the car. And you should also assume that the officer is on alert, ready to interpret a failure to follow instructions as a threat of danger or an attempt to flee.

What do you do when a police officer is harassing you?

Pull over in a way that will be most likely to calm down an angry or annoyed traffic officer. Use your turn signal to indicate any lane changes from left to right, and slow down fairly quickly, but not so quickly that the officer will have to brake to avoid hitting you.

Should you get out of the car when being pulled over?

DON’T get out of the car unless you’re told to do so. Here is how a cop thinks: If you are in the car, it’s very difficult for you to physically assault an officer. Once you get out of the car, the danger of physical confrontation grows exponentially, which means the officer’s anxiety level grows at the same rate.

What should you do if a police car is following you?

If a police car is following you with its siren blaring or emergency lights flashing, pull over to the right quickly (but safely) and come to a complete stop in a safe place. Pulling over right away isn’t an admission of guilt. It just means that you were alert to everything that was happening around you.

What do police officers look for during a traffic stop?

An officer enforcing a traffic stop isn’t looking just for furtive movements. Officers will look for anything incriminating that’s in “plain view” (like open beer or wine bottles, joints, or roach clips).