If a police officer has a good reason to believe a driver is intoxicated while operating a vehicle, such as swerving, breaking the law, or driving recklessly, the police must conduct a traffic stop.
The police will probably request that the motorist submits to a breath test or a field sobriety test during the traffic stop because these are common procedures. However, the police will likely first speak with the driver first to see what evidence they can get. In fact, the first inquiry the cops are likely to ask is, “Do you know why I pulled you over?” The motorist has this opportunity to respond to the officer’s query.
What should you say to a police officer during a traffic stop? What you need to know is this:
Avoid speaking as much as possible
During a traffic stop, you must show the police your license and registration as identification.
However, the law does not require you to interact with the officer in any way that may be self-incriminating. The Fifth Amendment gives people the right to withhold any comments that would lead to self-incrimination.
If possible, be compliant
You shouldn’t refrain from speaking just because you’re under no obligation to do so. It can be in your best advantage to give straightforward, polite responses to queries.
That implies, for example, that you should respond “no” when an officer inquires as to why you were stopped. In addition, you can respond that you’re not obligated to respond to inquiries like “Where have you been” or “Where are you driving to?”
Understand your legal rights
If you believe your rights were violated during a traffic stop, then the police may not have the right to incriminate you. To protect yourself from a criminal record, you may need to learn about your criminal defense options.