What To Do when You See Flashing Red Lights in your Rear View Mirror

Police car with Flashing Red LightsIt’s the holiday season which is filled with joy and  sparkling Christmas lights.  It’s also a time of year that you may see flashing red lights in your rear view mirror…  the flashing red lights of a police officer’s car.  Patrol units always increase during the holidays and if you get pulled over it can be quite the holiday buzz kill!

Don’t worry, we have some tips for you that you could use any time of the year when you are faced with flashing red lights in your rear view mirror. By following our tips you should have a better experience with the police and perhaps avoid a ticket or an arrest.

What to Do when you See A Patrol Car Following You

Don’t start to panic if you see a patrol car start to follow you, this doesn’t always mean you did something wrong.  Perhaps you just caught their attention by doing something such as; playing loud music, your car is noisy, eating while driving, grooming while driving, out of state license plates, etc.  If you are being followed remember to:

  1. Stay calm and drive safely.  Drive at the speed limit and obey all traffic laws.
  2. Avoid looking in the rear view mirror constantly.  Keep your eyes on the road and occasionally check to see if the officer is still following.  If you keep looking in the rear view mirror, the police may become even more suspicious.
  3. Don’t try to lose the police.  Taking the quickest turn onto the next road or exiting the freeway immediately may trigger the police to pull you over.  Simply remain calm and continue to drive to your destination.

What To Do when you See Flashing Red Lights in Your Rear View Mirror

It’s a bummer when you see the emergency lights of a patrol car activated and you realize those flashing red lights are for you.  This is no time to panic!  It’s a time to remain calm and present yourself in the best possible manner to the police.  Hopefully you can avoid a ticket or an arrest by following these tips:

  1. Pull over immediately in a safe area.  If the officer does not like where you are pulling over they will tell you with hand signals or over their PA system.
  2. Park your car and set the parking break.  Turn your engine off if the officer tells you to do so.
  3. Roll down your car window. Turn on the interior light if the officer tells you to do so.
  4. Place your hands on top of the car’s steering wheel and do not reach for your license and registration until the officer requests for them.
  5. All passengers should remain calm and keep their hands in plain view.  Additionally, they should make occasional eye contact with the police, if you don’t look, police become suspicious.
  6. Don’t talk too much to the police.  Follow directions, be respectful, and answers questions but keep it short.  Nobody talks their way out of a situation, so don’t try.  Don’t try to become a police officer’s friend, they are working not trying to make friends.
  7. If the police think you may be DUI (driving under the influence) ask to call your DUI attorney immediately.  And do not take the voluntary field sobriety tests or the DUI portable breathalyzer test.

Santa and reindeer for flashing red light blog

 

Hopefully by following these tips your holiday season will remain Merry and Bright with or without flashing red lights!

Drive safe and Happy Holidays from the DUI attorneys, criminal defense attorneys, and staff at David O Defense!