The moment that you look up and see those red and blue lights from a patrol car flashing behind you, your stomach may sink.
It’s normal to be nervous about a traffic stop, especially if you happen to be on your way home from a backyard barbecue, the neighborhood bar or your favorite restaurant where you had dinner and drinks. What you do – and say – next could be critical.
Here are three things you don’t ever want to say to the police when you’ve been pulled over:
1. “I only had one drink.”
In the history of time, no police officer has ever believed this. You won’t get yourself out of a ticket by saying this, and you are admitting that you’ve been drinking. Even if you aren’t intoxicated enough to warrant charges, saying this automatically gives the officer enough reasonable suspicion to proceed with a more thorough investigation.
2. “I know why you pulled me over.”
Never, ever say anything that can be construed as an admission of guilt. No matter what you say next, you’ve already acknowledged that the traffic stop was legitimate – and that can hamper your defense greatly if the situation evolves into anything more than a simple ticket.
3. “My medication must be affecting me.”
Again, this is the sort of statement people make without realizing that they’re incriminating themselves. You may honestly have not realized that your new prescription or over-the-counter medication would affect your reaction times or judgment – but confessing that isn’t going to help you. Instead, you’ll just cement the charges against you.
If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence, the wisest thing you can do is to invoke your right to remain silent and stick with it. If you need to talk, wait until you’re alone with your defense.