Unless you wish to recreate a scene which you have seen in a Hollywood movie, getting involved in a police chase is not something that is recommended. Whilst this can happen on occasion, speak to a police car chase accident lawyer for some juicy stories on that, most people follow the recommended course of action when they see a police car behind them with their sirens on.
If this has never happened to you before, here is what you should do if you are ever stopped by the police whilst driving your car.
Pulling Over
As mentioned you do not want to be involved in a police chase so the correct thing to do when they signal, is to pull over to a safe place. Once you have stopped the car you should turn the engine off, and roll the window down halfway whilst waiting for the police officer to come over. You do not need to get out of the car at this point. If you are driving at night then put the interior light on, which indicates to the officer that they don’t need to approach with any kind of caution.
Getting Out of The Car
Traffic officers are perfectly entitled to ask you and the passengers to step out of the car during a stop. If you are instructed to do so then follow the officers instructions as you exit the vehicle. Remember that you do not have to leave the vehicle unless you have been instructed to do so by the officer.
Searching Your Vehicle
The police officer has a responsibility to explain to you why you have been stopped. If this is for a traffic violation then they have no right at all to commence a search of the vehicle. There are some exceptions to the rule, if they believe that they can smell drugs for example or if they see something illegal inside the car, but generally a routine traffic stop doesn’t require them to search your vehicle.
How to Speak With The Officer
We have seen so many instances where these routine stops escalate, which is of course something which you want to avoid., When speaking to the officer keep things simple and amiable, to make the process run smoothly. Additionally you should look to avoid making any sudden movements, because the officers will have no understanding as to why and will assume the worst, and take action in response.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
If you have done nothing wrong and the traffic stop was conducted in the right manner, there are no reasons for you to speak to a lawyer. If however you believe that the stop was illegal or that it was conducted in an illegal way, it is always worth speaking with a lawyer and describing the experience in order to get the advice that you need.
The hope is that you are never pulled over by the police, but if you are this is what you should do.
