Pulled Over.

THE FIRST 30 SECONDSSet the tone.

• Pull over safely. Signal, slow down, stop somewhere well-lit. Turn off the engine.
• Hands on the wheel. Keep them visible — 10 and 2 — until the officer tells you otherwise.
• Stay in the car unless asked to step out. Sudden movements help no one.
• Be calm and polite. "Good evening, officer." Courtesy costs nothing and buys a lot.

WHAT YOU MUST PROVIDEThe big three.

In every state, you must provide your driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance when asked during a traffic stop. Tell the officer where they are before you reach: "My registration is in the glove box — I'm going to reach for it now." Narrate your movements.

WHAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO DOKnow the lines.

• You don't have to answer questions. "Where are you headed?" "Have you been drinking?" You can stay silent — but say so politely: "I choose to remain silent."
• You don't have to consent to a search. "Mind if I take a look in the car?" The answer that protects you: "I do not consent to a search." Say it clearly, say it once, then stop resisting physically — never physically resist, even if the search happens anyway.
• You don't have to do field sobriety tests (walk-the-line, follow-the-pen) in most states — though refusing a chemical test later can carry license penalties under implied-consent laws. This is exactly the kind of thing to ask a local attorney about before you need it.

THE MAGIC QUESTIONSSay these exactly.

If the answer is "you're free to go" — go, calmly. If you're being detained, stay silent and wait. Arguing your case on the roadside never works. The roadside is not the courtroom. The courtroom is the courtroom.

RECORDINGYour camera is legal.

In all 50 states you have the right to record police performing their duties in public — courts have consistently upheld this. Keep your distance, don't interfere, and if you're a passenger, recording is even simpler. A calm recording beats a heated memory every time.