- Be polite. Being a jerk is not the way to be in life and it is certainly not the way to handle a traffic stop. If you are going to defend your case, you may be successful in court – arguments are rarely, if ever, won on the roadside against an officer.
- Shut up. You should generally let the officer do the talking. Questions like “where are you headed to” and “where are you coming from” are designed to incriminate you. You are only required to provide your driver’s license and identifiers, nothing else. Anything and everything you say will be used against you. Remember: Silence is golden, handcuffs are silver.
- Testing. Politely decline roadside gymnastic tests. These tests are designed for failure. If you are arrested, it is okay to agree to the state’s breath test at the jail – not roadside. If you take their breath test and fail, demand your own blood test, in addition to their breath test. Blood tests are far more accurate than forensic breath testing.
- Never consent. Never consent to any search.
Officer: “Can I search your car?”
You: “No, am I free to leave?”
Officer: “Can I search your phone?”
You: “No, am I free to leave?”
Officer: “Can I search your…purse/home/office/…?”
You: “No, am I free to leave?”
- Leave. As soon as you are allowed to leave, do just that, leave. When do you leave? As soon as the officer is done with the stop. If in doubt just ask, “Am I free to leave?” Do not stay and chat. As soon as they say “yes” – don’t say another word. Leave.