Commentary

Safety tips for a traffic stop

It'a rare driver who has never been pulled over by a policeman, deputy or state trooper. Here are tips from Sgt. John Hahn, a 10-year member of the Colorado State Patrol, to make the stop a safe one—for you and for law enforcement personnel.

On some of Colorado’s busiest roads, a driver may not be certain that an officer is focused on his or her car. How can you tell that the officer wants you to pull over?

The first indication is the police car pulls behind them and turn the lights on. From there, if the driver isn’t working to pull over, the officer will blip the siren with short bursts. If the driver yields to the right when being pulled over and the officer pulls to the right behind them, that would be their best indication that they’re the car the officer is trying to stop.

What should drivers do when they realize they need to pull over?

Once you recognize a police car or emergency vehicle is approaching, pull off to the right. If there isn’t a safe place to pull over, drivers can wait to find a safe spot—either a parking lot or an off ramp. Don’t make any erratic movements or abrupt lane changes. If the officer sees that drivers are pulling over in it a timely manner, by signaling and moving over, we understand it can require some time. It may take even a mile or so to find a safe spot to stop.

Should drivers get out of their car?

We don’t know who it is that we’re pulling over. The safest thing for the officer and the motorist is to wait for the officer to approach the vehicle. Also keep your seatbelt fastened—for safety and to be in compliance with state law. It’s always good to have your documents handy—registration, driver’s license, and proof of insurance.

Should drivers wait for the officer to approach the car before getting those from a wallet or glove compartment?

It’s reasonable that someone would be digging in the glove box—but don’t make furtive movements. Don’t be reaching in to a bag or have your hands hidden down in the door panel or under the seat. Don’t make quick movements and keep your hands visible. This improves the officer’s comfort level. And ask your passengers to sit still and have their hands where they can be seen.

Do you have other suggestions for drivers?

One thing that everyone can do to help the officer at night is to turn on the interior light. That helps us see what is going on in the car.

We want people to know that our purpose for making a contact is to gain a measure of compliance with our laws—to keep everyone safe. We recognize that it’s stressful to be pulled over, but we’re simply trying to make sure everyone gets safely to where they want to be.

Is there a phone number people can call to confirm that they’re being pulled over by a law enforcement agency?

There isn’t any number that I know of that people can specifically call in Colorado. However motorists, once they’ve safely pulled over, can use their cell phone to call *CSP—which is *277. It’s a toll-free call. It wasn’t designed for that purpose, but it’s a way to confirm that they’re being pulled over by a CSP officer. If the officer is from another agency it may take a little time to find that information for them (on the CSP call). But that’s a place to start. That number is also a great way for motorist to report aggressive or drunk drivers at any time.

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