Some people may claim that they know the perfect thing to say to the police after they get pulled over. While they think they are helping themselves, they may be making things worse. Saying the wrong thing at a traffic stop can result in getting the worst possible outcome for yourself.
Getting a ticket can be a huge hassle to settle, and the points from the ticket can stay on your record for years. Never getting a ticket in the first place is easier than fighting one, so what are things you should never say at a traffic stop?
Phrases that often make things worse
Getting pulled over can be frustrating, and the urge to say unproductive things may be substantial. It is in your own best interests to avoid saying things like:
- You have friends or family in the force – It does not matter if your parent is an officer, or you are good friends with one. Avoid dropping a phrase like, “my brother in the force will hate to hear about this.”
- You pay the officer’s salary – “my taxes pay your salary” may be one of the last things an officer wants to hear from someone.
- You want to hurry up – if you tell or ask an officer to speed the traffic stop up, you may notice the opposite effect occurs.
- Arguing with the officer – challenging an officer’s decision about how fast you were going or whether or not the light was red rarely changes their mind. If you believe the police officer made the wrong decision, your best bet is to go to your court date and challenge the ticket there.
- Offering to let them search your car – never give police consent to search our vehicle, especially if they did not ask to. As soon as you give permission, officers have the right to search your car, which they make choose to take.
The consequences of saying unproductive things can result in your traffic stop taking longer than necessary or receive a ticket you may not have received otherwise.
Think before speaking
Fight the urge to say things that will not help yourself at your traffic stop, especially if they may incriminate you. Fighting a ticket in court is more likely to help you than making things harder for yourself at a traffic stop.
