While it’s something that we all hope will never happen, the police and their routine traffic stops are all around, particularly at this time of year when the roads are much busier, and people are in more of a hurry to get home. It’s likely that you won’t have been doing anything you shouldn’t have, it’s just that the police do carry out random stops from time to time. Just in case. Whether you have been caught doing something you shouldn’t, or whether you are just the unlucky one that got stopped, there are some things you can do to make the whole process quicker and easier.
Think About the Police Officer
Stopping vehicles not going to be on the police officer’s list of favorite things to do. He or she is just doing their job, and so if you can make that easier, and not give them a hard time, that’s great. They will appreciate it. You could even say sorry. It won’t get you off of a ticket if you’ve been speeding, but it will make the entire interaction more pleasant to deal with. If you’re asked to stop, help the officer out even more by stopping in a safe place (that helps both of you actually) and generally be a nice human being. That’s a good rule for everyday life too.
Stay in the Car
If the police officer asks you to step out, no worries, you can get out, but otherwise just stay in the car until you know why you’ve been stopped. Turn off the engine and open your window so you can speak to the police officer without having to shout. Remember to stay calm. It’s probably something small, and you’re not in trouble as such, you just need to be told and a ticket written up, as the law states. So, don’t panic. The police officer will let you know if it’s a tail light bulb that’s gone out or if you were going too fast, and then they’ll let you know what the procedure is regarding paying your fine, or taking things further. There is no need to get angry, and no need to lose your cool.
Sign the Citation
If you are issued a citation, you’ll need to sign it. It’s important that you do. It’s not admitting to anything, it’s just agreeing that you’ve received the ticket and you’ll pay up by the date you need to do so. If the situation is a little more serious, and you need to contact your attorney to ask what does indicted mean or to get their help due to a court matter, that can wait until the police officer has finished doing their thing. Don’t try to speed up the process or you could miss an important piece of information.
Drive Safe
Finally, remember to drive safe when you are setting back off again. You could be merging into busy traffic, and you need to look all about you to make sure you don’t get into an accident. This is especially important if you’re feeling shaken because you got stopped in the first place. Take the time to calm down, and then drive safely away.
