Seeing the flashing lights of a police cruiser behind your vehicle may make you uneasy. One of your primary thoughts is probably trying to figure out why they’re pulling you over. In order to initiate a traffic stop, the police officer must have reasonable suspicion, which means they can’t pull you over just because they feel like it.
Reasonable suspicion is a legal standard that allows for police officers to initiate a traffic stop if they see something that a reasonable person would believe points to criminal activity. In the case of a traffic stop, reasonable suspicion typically occurs because of a traffic violation or another offense, such as impaired driving.
Things that may happen in a traffic stop
The officer will want to identify the driver in your vehicle. They’ll likely ask for the driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. The officer may talk to you about the reasons for the stop. They may also try to assess your behavior if you’re the driver. This can include asking questions or asking you to take a field sobriety test or a chemical test. It’s important to respond calmly and respectfully, but you are not required to answer every question beyond providing your documents.
Depending on the observations of the officer during the traffic stop, the officer can give you a warning, issue a citation or arrest you. If they opt to arrest you, they need to ensure they establish probable cause.
If you’re facing criminal charges as a result of the traffic stop, you should ensure that you work on your defense strategy right away. This may be best handled with the assistance of someone familiar with matters similar to yours.