1.
When the officer turns on the lights
and/or siren, keep your hands on the
wheel and don't reach for your wallet,
insurance card or anything else. The
officer can see that you are reaching
for "something" (driver's license,
insurance, GUN, etc....).
2.
If possible, don't stop in the roadway.
This creates a dangerous situation for
you and the officer. Try to pull over in
a parking lot, preferably one that is
well lit. If you must drive a short
distance before you can pull into a
parking lot, turn on your dome light and
hazard lights. This will signal the
officer that you are not evading him.
3.
Once you are safely stopped, keep your
hands on the steering wheel. Don't reach
for your wallet, insurance card or
anything else.
4.
Once the officer approaches, he will
then ask for your license, insurance or
other documents. If the items are not
within reach, tell the officer where
they are located before reaching for
them (glove box, back floorboard,
etc....).
5.
Give the requested items to the officer.
If your license or insurance card is in
your wallet or a folder, remove them
before handing them to the officer.
6.
By now, the officer will have informed
you of the reason you were stopped. If
he hasn't, ask.
7.
If there is a reason for the violation,
ask if you can explain.
8.
If the office is going to give you a
citation, don't argue with him. You will
have the opportunity to contest the
ticket in court at a later date.
9.
Signing the citation is not an admission
of guilt, it is simply an acknowledgment
that you are being assigned a date
and time to appear in court. Refusing to
sign will not be a defense to a warrant
when you don't show up in court and it
may lead your arrest in some
jurisdictions.
10. Once you are given your copy of the
citation and given back your requested
items, don't peel out or drive away
fast. If you do, you will most likely
have to start over again with #1 at the
top of the page!
Stay safe!
