Traffic Violation Lawyer
When asked “What automatically stresses you out?” most people will respond by saying “Driving down the road and seeing flashing blue lights in my mirror.” This is a common stressor among drivers and you may not know what to do when facing a traffic violation. There are measures you can take to make this process as painless as possible and you should know that how you act when you are pulled over can make a huge difference if you go to court to contest your traffic violation. Read on for more tips regarding what to do when a police officer pulls you over.
What to Do When Pulled Over
There are a few things you can do to ensure you start off on the right foot with the police officer. Turn off your car, roll down both front windows, and keep your hands in front of you. When the police officer approaches you and inevitably asks “do you know why I pulled you over?”, your best bet is to say you do not know. Answering the questions by stating that you do know why they pulled you over can be incriminating. Respond to their questions respectfully even if the traffic stop is stressful or upsetting.
After the Traffic Violation Has Been Issued
Once they have issued a traffic violation, you may be tempted to move on with your day. However, one of the best things you can do is make note of what happened.
- Where were you going?
- What was the weather like?
- Was there any construction?
- Were there road problems?
- Were there witnesses to the police officer pulling you over?
Can the Officer Search My Car?
Usually, a police officer is not allowed to search a person’s car simply because they want to. As a lawyer, like a traffic violation lawyer from a law firm like May Law, LLP knows, the police officer will either need to have a warrant for a search or they will need to have probable cause (which means they will need to suspect that you are carrying something illegal in your car). If you believe the police officer searched your car illegally, this is something to tell your attorney.
Getting a traffic violation can be serious and you want to make sure you fight against it. If you would like to work with an attorney after a police officer has issued you a traffic violation, reach out to a local attorney’s office today.