The last thing you might be thinking about when being pulled over is car safety, but you need to keep this in the front of your mind.

The police are stopping you; you’re thinking about what you might have done wrong, considering the amount the ticket will cost, and nervous about what’s going to happen, but you need to think about safety. It’s important that you find a place to stop close by that will offer both you and the police officer the safety needed to handle the conversation you’re about to have.

How Can You Stay Safe During a Police Stop?

Find a Safe Place to Stop Your Vehicle

It’s a bit unnerving to have lights flashing in your rearview mirror, but it will be much worse if the area where you stop is unsafe for the officer. They are going to get out of the vehicle and come to your window. Try and find a place where this can happen without them being put in harm’s way. Check your mirrors, find a place with plenty of room on the driver’s side of the vehicle, and pull over. If you can find a parking lot, this would be ideal for both parties involved.

Slow Down, Use Your Signals

If you slow down and use your signals to indicate to the officer that you intend to pull into a parking lot or onto a side street, they are likely to allow you to continue. Using the tools you have to communicate your intentions is one of the most important car safety items you can employ when being pulled over. No one wants to have an issue during a traffic stop, and if you can keep yourself and the officer safe, you should do this; it might win you some points in the end.

Take a Minute to Calm Yourself

You might know exactly why the officer is pulling you over, or you might have no idea. Either way, the police officer is simply trying to do their job, and the easier you make it, the sooner you’ll be back on the road. You need to take a minute while the officer is preparing to come to your window and take a deep breath. Once you are calm, roll down your driver’s side window and any windows that are tinted to allow the officer to see inside your vehicle better. If it’s dark out, turn on your interior lights.

Note: Do not reach for anything in the passenger area or under the seat; you do this with the officer watching once they arrive at your window.

Park Your Car and Wait for the Officer

Whether you do this before rolling down your windows or not is up to you. Once you’ve found the safe place to pull over, put the car in park and turn off the ignition. Place your hands on the steering wheel to ensure they are visible to the officer when they approach your vehicle. Remember, it’s important to help them be calm during this interaction as well.

Note: Do not get out of the vehicle; this is a sure way to be viewed as being aggressive toward the officer.

Wait, You Will Receive Instructions on What to Do Next

Most traffic stops are simple, easy, and a bit annoying, but not too unnerving. Police officers understand that you’re nervous and often act accordingly. Part of car safety in this situation is to simply sit still and stay safe. Once the officer arrives at your window, you can have a conversation regarding the necessary items for the traffic stop. Speak and move slowly and deliberately to keep the situation calm.

Act Civilized, Don’t Say Anything You Shouldn’t

You might feel that you’ve been wrongly pulled over and accused of doing something that you didn’t, but you’re not going to get very far with the police officer that has pulled you over. You’ll have the right to defend yourself in court, but aggressive and argumentative behavior will not improve the situation. Keep car safety in mind and be civilized so that the conversation can end as quickly and calmly as possible. Everything you say is admissible in court, don’t say anything you don’t need to, but answer the questions that are asked of you.

Sign the Citation is Requested

Some of the requirements of signing documents have been set aside during the COVID-19 pandemic, which means you might not be asked to sign the citation given to you. If you are asked to sign, you are not admitting guilt but recognizing that you’re being given a ticket and understand the court date or the fine associated with the ticket. The time to dispute the fine is when your court date takes place, not with the officer issuing the ticket during the traffic stop.

Car Safety is Paramount During a Traffic Stop

Not every time you’re pulled over by a police officer will you receive a ticket. There are times when you might be pulled over and given instructions to drive a little differently, not be where you are, or avoid certain areas. It’s important to remember that police officers are more interested in keeping everyone safe out on the roads, not in issuing tickets for some quota that is a myth.

While you might not get pulled over for something you’ve done wrong, if you know that you made a mistake, have outdated plates, or have a part of your car that should be working that isn’t, getting caught is part of the risk you’re running. You might get a ticket for a taillight being out, for taking a wrong turn, or when your plates have tags that are expired.

You knew this before you got in the car to start driving. Allow the officer to do their job and don’t get in their way. If you treat the officer with respect and act calmly, it’s possible you might receive a warning and not a ticket during your traffic stop.

Think car safety and win some points with the officer that pulled you over.