How to handle being pulled over
POLICING: When you hear the blip of a siren and see flashing lights, try to stay calm
When was the last time you were pulled over while driving?
For some, it might be a frequent occurrence. For others, maybe you’ve never heard the siren blip and seen the flashing lights meant for you. Or maybe, like me, it’s every couple of decades, just rare enough to make your heart clutch a little and your brain do an instant replay of the last kilometre.
According to Const. Clint Stibbe with Toronto Police Services, even getting people to pull over can be challenging sometimes.
“With the superior insulation in today’s cars, and people having their sound systems turned up, sometimes they don’t even hear the siren,” he says.
Pair that with the fact that many don’t check their mirrors much once they’ve passed their road test, and you could have a driver knee deep in oblivion. Stibbe says they’re far less concerned with people who keep trundling along than they are with those who take off.
“The concern is more with emergency vehicles being unable to get a clear path. People tend to freeze or panic and forget what they need to do,” he explains. If police signal you to pull over, put on your indicator and do so at the first safe place. For ambulance or fire trucks, you can also pull to the left if there’s a median, and if traffic is heavy you can pull into a parking lot or even a driveway if you have to. Assume that emergency involves someone you love.
So you see the familiar light, and realize you’re the star of the show. What do you do next?
“Be predictable,” says Stibbe.
1. Indicate, slow down and pull over when signalled.
2. Put your vehicle in park ; you can put on your four-way flashers.
3. Turn off the radio, though you can leave your car running.
4. Drop your window. If your car is darkly tinted, you might want to drop all the windows, depending on the weather.
5. Wait for the officer to approach you with instructions.
6. If the driver only has a learner’s permit, the properly licensed driver they are required to have in the right-hand seat must produce valid ID on demand.
7. Anyone over 16 in the car may be asked for ID.
Initially an officer is going to ascertain some very basic facts. He or she will have already run the licence plate, and will know several things: the name the plate is registered to, the vehicle the plate is registered to, and whether the vehicle has valid insurance. You are still required to produce a valid driver’s licence (photocopy unacceptable), the vehicle registration (a photocopy of both sides, showing current stickers, is acceptable), and the pink slip indicating insurance. This information may be available electronically to the officer, but our law still states that only a hard copy of that slip is valid.
It’s a myth that you have 24 hours to produce your licence. You are required to have it, period. Officers always have discretion, but it’s a $110 fine in Ontario for not producing your licence. The court may crunch the ticket, but only after you’ve gone through the hassle of showing up with it — in court. Carry it with you.
Stibbe notes another concern. “We are trying to make sure you are who you say you are. Take a look at your licence. If your appearance has changed drastically, due to perhaps weight loss or something similar, update your licence.
“I’ve had someone claiming to be someone else,” he says. “They rattled off their name and address, but a check revealed photos — health card and licence — that didn’t match up. They were trying to hide the fact they were driving under a suspended licence, but that’s becoming harder and harder to do.”
He’s had vehicles doing a similar thing; tags supposed to be on one truck attached to another. The fines, they will stack up.
The other thing that could prove problematic for a driver? The company they keep.
“Passengers can definitely make things worse for a driver,” says Stibbe. Tell your friends to shut up. If they’re unbelted and under 16, the driver will be fined. If they’re over 16, they will be fined. Police understand if you’re the designated driver, your passengers may be the designated drinkers. Tell the drinkers to keep a lid on it. The officer will address the individual he or she wishes to speak to.
Most of us rarely get pulled over (though I know many people who swear it happens in threes, this is purely anecdotal), but it can be a little nerve-racking. Stay calm, do as you’re asked, and remember you can fight anything you disagree with after the fact.
And here’s a tip for anyone with new drivers in the family: walk them through a traffic stop. It may seem corny, but indicate in the rearview they should stop, have them sit tight for a few minutes in park with the radio down until you approach them, and have them produce the correct documents — and know where to find them. Check that your documents are up to date, and let anyone who uses your car know where they are.
One last thing: Depending on the circumstances, police officers give out a lot of warnings. Make it easy to get a warning.