What to do if you get pulled over in New York…
If you are driving along and suddenly see those bright flashing lights of a police car pull up behind you, your first inclination might be to panic. As long as you are not a mass criminal, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or have large amounts of drugs in the car, you should not have much of a reason to worry.
The first thing you should do is remain clam and be polite. Being polite and courteous will go along way and put the officer at ease. It is reasonable for an officer approaching a stopped vehicle to be apprehensive, as they do not know the situation they are walking into. It is therefore important to show that you are not a threat.
When I have been stopped by a police for a traffic stop, the first thing I do after pulling to the side of the road is shut my car off, gather my license, registration and insurance cards, and place my hands on the steering wheel. When the officer approaches, keep both hands on the wheel and do not reach for anything unless instructed.
The officer will likely ask you if you know why you were stopped. You can say no, you do not know, even if you do know. This question is often a trick to get you to make an admission. DO NOT MAKE AN ADMISSION! Ask the officer why they stopped you and they will tell you. You do not have to debate them on the reason.
Hand the officer the vehicle’s registration, insurance, and your driver’s license. They will return to the police car to run your information through their system. If you see the officer returning with more pieces of paper and documents than you gave them, congratulations! You are getting a citation. The officer may tell you they gave you a break and a lower violation - either a lower level speeding offense, or a lower level moving violation. That’s so nice of them! They may tell you to just plead guilty and send it in! What a favor!
You absolutely do not have to plead guilty. This is where you should talk to an attorney to see what can be done. Each case is different, so you need advice on your specific circumstances. But it is well worth your while, and well worth limiting possible points on your license, to talk to an attorney
You attorney can likely handle the citation without you ever needing to appear in court, and can also likely get a further reduction or even an dismissal. Do not plead guilty just because the officer giving you the ticket told you to do so. Do not plead guilty because you were in fact speeding and “tHeRe’S nOtHiNg ThAt CaN bE dOnE". Consult with an attorney to get the best possible outcome.
