7 important things to remember and do when getting pulled over by a police officer.
Let’s face it, getting pulled over by a police officer can be an extremely stressful, frustrating, and intimidating experience, especially if it’s your first time. Your stomach drops, heart races, and your mind starts frantically running through exactly what excuse you’re going to give when the officer walks up to your car. With the exception of certain circumstances (such as driving a stolen car or driving with gross negligence), there is a list of steps to follow to better your chances of driving away with just a warning instead of a full fledged ticket. Now this isn’t a guaranteed get out of jail free card by any means, but following these steps will certainly improve your chances.
1. As soon as you see the lights, pull over ASAP, but do this within the realm of common sense. If you are in the middle of an intersection, don’t put it in park and become a mini van traffic cone, or pull over on the shoulder of a major highway off ramp where tractor trailers will undoubtedly be barreling down every 5 seconds. Pull over as soon as you can find a safe spot that will also be safe for the officer to get out of his car. As a general rule, don’t take more than 30 seconds to find a safe spot. Unless you think handcuffs are a cute accessory, don’t think the officer won’t mind following you to the local grocery store because you’re on your way there anyway.
2. Once you have pulled over, immediately put on your hazard lights. This shows the officer that you are concerned for everyone’s safety. Even if it is in the daytime, it helps make other drivers aware that they should approach you and the officer with caution.
3. What comes next will depend on the officer and the situation for you being pulled over. Some officers will immediately get out of their vehicle and approach you, while others may stay in their vehicle for a few minutes and run your plates first. If you fall in the first category, roll down your window and place both hands on the steering wheel. If an officer is approaching your car and sees you are fumbling around in your glove box or somewhere else, that can be interpreted as you preparing for hostile action, and what comes after that will not be pleasant. Bottom line, make sure your hands are visible at all times.
In the case that the officer is taking a long time to approach your car, you may want to get out your license, insurance and registration. Once you get them out, place your hands back on the steering wheel. If you haven’t gotten those documents out and the officer asks you to present them, it is usually best to ask his permission or tell him before you go digging through your glove box or in your purse. Again, you do not want to cause any type of suspicion, as your eyes will not take kindly to pepper spray. In light of this, it is best that you have each of these items together in an easily accessible place.
4. Be Honest. If the officer asks you to explain your situation, or even leaves room for you to make a comment to his explanation, honesty is always the best policy. Don’t forget, you are not their first stop, and it’s highly likely that they have heard every excuse under the sun. Most of the time officers will be put off by excuses, be they lame or sometimes even true. Being up front, honest, and taking responsibility for your actions will go a long way with many officers, and may lead to them going easier on you than if you try to weasel out of something.
5. Apologize. Telling the officer in a genuine manner that you are sorry for what you did will show him that are aware of what you did was wrong, and that you don’t want to do it again, and will be careful to avoid the same action in the future. This can help persuade the officer that you’re not going to just toll up your window, pull away and do the same thing again 5 minutes later.
6. Be Polite. This goes hand in hand with being honest. Police officers are people, the same as you and I. They have feelings, emotions, and are not mindless robots merely following programmed protocol. They will respond to politeness and courtesy much better as opposed to a rude and begrudging attitude. The same way that you don’t like to be treated rudely by anyone at your job, neither do they. Remember, you are the one who committed the offense, and they are just doing their job. Yes it may be difficult to swallow being pulled over for doing 35mph in a 30 mph zone, and yes there are some officers who may be on a power trip or just plain grumpy, but as the old saying goes; “Kill them with kindness.”
7. Accept the consequences. If it turns out that you follow these steps and you get off on just a warning, congratulations! Use it as a lesson to not repeat the offense. If not, and you are still slapped with a ticket, accept it and don’t argue. Once the ticket is written, it’s a done deal, there’s no taking it back. Arguing will only aggravate the situation, and possibly get you another ticket. Instead, ask the officer what the best way to proceed in paying the ticket. Some officers may even give you a tip that you can go to court and get it downgraded from a points offense to a non points offense for a higher fee.
In summary, as stated in the beginning these tips will not guarantee you a get out of jail free card, but they will definitely increase your chances of getting the officer in a pleasant mood. Also, if you feel that you were wrongly pulled over and desire to plead your case in court, still abide by the guidelines above. In that situation it is advised that you consult with an experienced attorney who will be able to assist in pleading your innocence.
Above all, good luck. Depending on why you get pulled over, you just may need it.
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