What You Need To Do When Pulled Over To Protect Yourself

Being pulled over by the police even if you have done nothing wrong makes your heart rate increase and gives you an overwhelming feeling of dread but there is nothing to be scared of. The police are just trying to keep the roads safe for the most part but this does not mean that you won’t be arrested. In situations like that of a suspected DUI the officer is allowed to lie to the driver in order to get them to comply. This can include lies about what will happen with their license as many people don’t realize that there are work permits for people that have a suspended license. Police tend to omit this in order to get people to submit to testing as their job is to build a case rather than counsel the potentially inebriated driver. The following are tips that will help you the next time that you are pulled over.

Stay Respectful Even If Pulled Over For Nothing

Staying respectful is one of the most important things when pulled over no matter how upset you are. The last thing an officer wants is to be screamed at as soon as they walk up to the window. When you are respectful police are more likely to work with you but this is not true in every case. Do not give the officer a reason to put you in handcuffs or pull you out of the car. There will be no need to hire a criminal defense lawyer if you stay calm and have done nothing illegal.

Do Not Consent For A Search Of Your Vehicle

There is one thing that many people do in error and that is allowing police to search their vehicles. This is not because you think you have anything illegal but there is a chance if you drive Uber or are a DD that someone could have dropped something in your car. There is no need to consent for this as the officer is going to ask regardless and if there is no reason for them to search the car then you are fine A person that has smoked marijuana in their car recently will have no rights to refuse due to the small of an illegal substance.

If You Have Been Drinking, Do Not Consent To Breathalyzer

There are those that think an officer is going to let them go when they have been pulled over after they have been drinking. This is not the time to be extremely friendly as the officer is trying to build a case to arrest you for DUI. Answer questions that you are comfortable answering or stay completely silent as this is within your rights. Do not consent to use the breathalyzer as this is the largest piece of proof if you are arrested for impaired driving.

The best thing that you can do is be respectful and understand your rights when you are pulled over. If you are not respectful this can lead to an arrest or a hassle that you shouldn’t have to deal with if you have done nothing wrong.

Author: Brandon Park