Anne Arundel County Traffic Stops 

There are elements to look out for during an Anne Arundel County traffic stop. An officer, whether it be a County Officer or a State Trooper, will initiate lights and siren to indicate that the person needs to pull over. The officer will walk up to the car and request the driver’s license, car registration, and proof of insurance. For other things to look out for, contact a professional traffic attorney today.

Sirens and Patrol Lights

When a person experiences an Anne Arundel traffic stop, they should slow down, and try to get to a place where they can safely stop the car. The highway is especially tricky, so they need to use their best judgment.

The goal is to pull over somewhere safe and stop the car. When the officer gets out of their car, the driver should already have their driver’s license, car registration, and proof of insurance to hand over to the officer and be ready to answer the officer’s questions if they feel they are appropriate. If not,  a person should hand over the documents and wait for the officer to issue the ticket.

Pulling Over

The officer will use common sense. If there is no way for that person to safely pull over, the officer will not necessarily hold that against the driver, as long as they do not speed up and go too far in an effort to find a safe place to pull over. Slowing down and a turn signal should indicate to the officer they are pulling over. A person should have a driver’s license, car registration, and proof of insurance ready for the officer.

Things to Avoid

A person should not turn around or start to move toward the glove compartment. These moves should not be done unless absolutely necessary. A driver should just remain visible and calm. A driver should not be agitated or upset when the officer approaches the car. The officer should not misinterpret certain movement by the driver, or passenger, that they are reaching for a gun or other weapon during an Anne Arundel traffic stop.

Night Time Stops

Everything will be the same during a nighttime stop in Anne Arundel, except a person might want to turn on the interior lights in the car so the officer can see what the person is looking for. The officer should not misinterpret certain movements by the driver, or passenger, that they are reaching for a weapon.

Answering Questions

It is always best to try to answer questions by law enforcement, but the person does not need to be compelled to answer the questions. It is best to have an uneventful stop with the officer because if the driver does decide to go to court, the judge will mostly ask the officer what was the person’s demeanor when they were pulled over. The driver should not lie if asked a question by the officer. The truth would be the best answer.

Driver’s Appearance and Manners

A driver’s hands should be visible, on the steering wheel. The officer needs to be assured that the person does not have anything on them that could cause harm to the officer. On the other hand, if the officer is not in uniform, the driver can ask to verify if the officer is real if necessary. Drivers can also ask to see a badge, they can ask for a badge number, they can try to call it in, however, annoying an officer is not necessarily a good thing to do.

They should not exit their vehicle. It is not a good idea because the officer will consider that an act of aggression towards them.