Tips for dealing with police after getting pulled over

A police officer pulls you over and tells you that he or she thinks you were speeding. Let’s not get into whether you actually were or not, but that’s the reason for the stop. The officer is thinking about giving you a ticket.

It’s a highly stressful situation with a lot on the line. Here are a few tips that can help you deal with the police and get through the stop.

First off, say hello to the officer or wave when they walk up to the car. If you appear pleasant and friendly, it works in your favor and puts the officer at ease. If you’re going to say you don’t know what you did wrong, that attitude can also support your claim.

Don’t open by admitting fault. Remember, the officer thinks you were speeding, but nothing has been proven yet. Don’t apologize for speeding or say that you know why you got pulled over. For one thing, it makes your actions look intentional. For another, it may hurt you if you try to fight the ticket and the officer says that you already admitted fault.

Even when the officer tells you that they think you broke the speed limit, you don’t have to admit to it. You can just say something simple about how you were trying to adjust your speed to the general flow of the surrounding traffic, or you can say nothing at all.

As the stop continues, tell the officer what you’re doing. Say that you’re getting your wallet out of your pocket, for example, or that you’re getting your registration out of the glove box. This shows that you’re willing to comply and it puts the officer at ease.

If you do end up getting a ticket, make sure you know what options you have and how to proceed. What you did during the stop can help your case.