Hampton Reckless Driving Traffic Stop: Mistakes to Avoid
Being pulled over for speeding in Hampton, VA can be overwhelming due to the strict traffic laws of Virginia, as well as the strict penalties and consequences that follow. If you drive in Hampton, it is important to know what the standard operating procedures are for a reckless driving traffic stop and understand what mistakes to avoid. If you have been charged with reckless driving in Hampton, it is imperative that you call a Hampton reckless driving lawyer immediately to provide the most amount of time for defense preparation for your case and ensure that you do not make any mistakes in the process along the way.
Steps to Take in a Reckless Driving Traffic Stop
You should leave your vehicle running so that you don’t run the risk of your car not starting and being stuck on the side of the road at night with an officer. You should also only grab your registration from the glove box when the officer asks you to do so.
If the officer asks you anything related to why he pulled you over that has nothing to do with your license or registration, answering those questions would be a big mistake for a Hampton reckless driving traffic stop. It’s better for you to tell the officer that you wish to remain cooperative but you don’t want to answer any questions related to that.
Unmarked Vehicle Stops
If you’re pulled over by someone in an unmarked vehicle and in plain clothes and you’re not sure that you’re being pulled over by an officer, it is okay for you to ask that person to see a badge. A lot of people don’t know what a police officer’s official badge is supposed to look like, so another alternative is to call dispatch and verify that there is an officer in that area that has just pulled you over. This is a good option because if that person is not really an officer, then dispatch will go ahead and send a real officer to the scene.
Biggest Mistakes to Avoid in a Hampton Reckless Driving Stop
The biggest mistakes to avoid during a traffic stop are providing any type of information to the officer that’s later going to be used against you in court which will result in you getting convicted for whatever it is that you’re being pulled over for. You want to avoid saying anything in response to questions about why you were pulled over. Leave the talking to your Hampton reckless driving attorney in court.
Officers love to ask if you knew how fast you were going or why were you going that fast because it’s so easy for someone to immediately offer an excuse or try to explain away whatever it was that they were doing. By doing this, you are admitting that you were speeding and that you were aware of it and even tried to justify it. A common reason given by drivers is that they were running late. It’s not a good idea to do anything like that.
Another big mistake in a reckless driving traffic stop in Hampton is to avoid is being combative and angering the officer in any way. You don’t want the stop to be dragged out into something bigger and you don’t want him to have any reason to ask you to step out of that vehicle and argue with anything else.