Over 50,000 drivers a day get pulled over by police. It is important to know what to do when this happens in order to ensure you and your passengers safety. People get pulled over for a multitude of reasons including moving violations, equipment violations, expired registrations, or unusual driving actions.

When you are first pulled over the most important thing to do is make sure the person trying to pull you over is a legitimate police officer. Some reasons to suspect an unwarranted officer include getting pulled over by an unmarked vehicle. If this happens, immediately turn on your flashers to show the officer you are acknowledging their presence. Start driving towards a busy well lit area and call 911. Next, tell the dispatcher the make and model of your car and your precise location. If the dispatcher is unable to confirm the validity of the officer pulling you over, then continue driving slowly to your nearest police station.

If the officer pulling you over is clearly a real police officer the first thing to do when getting pulled over is to pull over to a safe location. Immediately turn on your turn signal and begin looking for a safe spot. If possible, pull over to the right to avoid crossing traffic and to prevent the officer from being hit by cars in the right lane when approaching the driver's side window. 

Second, make sure you are not doing anything to make the police officer nervous. Things to prevent this from happening include rolling down your window all the way, turning off your ignition, and not getting out of the car. Keep your hands on the steering wheel and avoid reaching for your license and registration until the officer tells you to do so. 

When talking with an officer, be polite and only speak when spoken to. If an officer asks if you know why you were pulled over, always reply with “I don’t know.” Some officers deliberately try to get you to admit to something you did or didn’t do in order to use it in court against you. Let the officer explain why you were pulled over and do not fight with his reasoning. 

The most important thing to do is not to argue with the police officer. Your goal of the interaction should be to be unmemorable. This is because if you are issued a ticket and make a scene the officer is more likely to remember you and show up in traffic court, so your case cannot be dismissed. Also, if you are polite and respectful there is a slightly less chance a ticket will be issued to you. 

After the interaction carefully drive away and make sure to obey all traffic laws. If you do receive a ticket, find a local criminal defense attorney to help. If you are cautious during a traffic stop, you are much more likely to better defend yourself at traffic court and get the ticket dropped.