There are many things you should and should not do if your unfortunate enough to be stopped by a law enforcement officer for a traffic violation. This article by no means is meant to replace the advice of an attorney or representative of the court or law enforcement agency whom stopped you. It is simply a guide from a couple who has over 25 years of experience in law enforcement.The Initial Traffic Stop
The first bit of advice we have to offer is after you get pulled over do not make any sudden moves that may lead the police officer to believe you are trying to hide something or retrieving a weapon to hurt the police officer. There will be plenty of time to assemble your driver's license and proof of insurance after the officer makes contact with you. After you have made contact with the police officer always act as if you do not know what you did (unless you have a very, very good explanation like "My wife is in labor" or "I am being chased by armed terrorist"). If you choose one of these explanations make sure you either have a pregnant woman in the vehicle with you or there are armed terrorist nearby.
The Interrogation
When inquiring as to why you were stopped, do not go overboard. Let the officer explain to you why you have been stopped. Most importantly, do not argue or get an attitude with the police officer as this will surely ensure that you will get a traffic violation and a hefty one at that. Police officers in most states somewhat have discretion as what they will write you a ticket for. For example, let's say that you were pulled over for driving 70 mph in a posted 45 mph zone. If you have a pretty good driving record but the officer feels you still need to be ticketed, if you were cooperative and polite the officer might only write a ticket for 5 mph over the speed limit instead of a ticket for 20 mph over the speed limit which ultimately means a lower fee you have to pay and less points on your license. If you still feel that you need to voice your unhappiness and feel that you have been pulled over unjustly, calmly explain your reasons to the police officer.
Driving License Status
When asked about your current driver license status or past driving record DO NOT LIE. Police officers may not be rocket scientists but they do have access to law enforcement computers that interface with national crime computers that access your driver license status and any current and past violations. This rings true for out-of-state travelers also. For example, if you live in Tennessee and are traveling in Michigan and get pulled over, police dispatchers can run you through national computers that interface with other state's computers and any extraditable warrants (felony warrants) and your driving status from your home state will be displayed. Bottom line, getting caught lying just irritates cops and causes them to think you are trying to hide something. Not all police officers are traffic violation ticket writing robots and may consider writing you a lesser violation (as discussed earlier) or release you with a warning that does not go into any record, cost you any money, and does not put points on you driver's license if you are simply just honest with him/her
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