Can you give advice on how you would actually phrase your answers, word for word, to typical questions asked by the police at a traffic stop in the US?
Going through the driver's license process and just a little worried about traffic stops, given that everyone goes through one eventually. Heard a lot of horror stories about simple, routine traffic stops escalating into needless tragedies that should have been avoided.
When it comes to talking to the police at a traffic stop, a lot of the advice revolves around being polite and only giving out basic information.
However, hardly any examples are given online on how you would actually phrase your answers, word for word. And phrasing matters! This is especially true in a stressful situation like a traffic stop where what you say or don't say can be used against you by the police. For example, if you want to remain silent, apparently it's not enough to simply remain silent. You have to actually sound it out that you're pleading to the Fifth.
I've listed some common questions and requests that I've heard being made by the police at a traffic stop. Feel free to answer as few or as many questions as you like based on how you think people should phrase their responses, word for word:
- "Do you know why I pulled you over?"
- "Are you aware of how fast you were driving?"
- If you think saying some form of "No" is the right answer, then what do you say if they ask, "Why don't you know how fast you were driving?"
- If you're a passenger in the car, not the driver, and for some reason they ask you: "Can I see your ID?"
- If saying some form of "No" is correct, what do you say when they ask, "Why not?"
- "Where are you coming from/where are you going?"
- “Have you been drinking tonight?”
- "Why are you so nervous?" even though you don't feel like you're acting nervous.
- Let's say it's late at night and deserted, "Why are you out driving so late?"
- They allegedly spot something in your vehicle and ask, "What's that inside your vehicle?"
- "Can I search your vehicle?"
- You say some form of "No". "If you don’t have anything to hide, why not let me search your vehicle?"
- Say the police ask you to step out of the vehicle (and yes, I know you have to obey). They say they're calling the K-9 unit who arrive eventually. Let's say they tell you they're going to search the vehicle because the K-9 dog reacted to something (even though you know for certain there's nothing illegal). Do you say anything at all throughout this exchange?