If you have been a great person who follows the law, we know that it can get devastating when you get your first felony or misdemeanor. Just the act of being pulled over in the middle of driving could be devastating.
Here at Haque Legal, it is our goal to make sure that you can have the best kind of information possible that can help you protect your rights at a time when we cannot yet be there to help you out.
With that, this article aims to provide information on what you need to do on your first DUI in Southfield.
What To Do In Case You Are Pulled Over?
Imagine this scenario you are quietly driving down the road and you suddenly see emergency lights behind you, what do you do? In case you get pulled over and you see emergency lights behind you the first thing that you need to do is to come yourself.
For first-timers, there are a lot of emotions that will come out when you are pulled over. So, as you pull over to the right side, the first thing that you need to do is to stay calm.
First Three Steps
The first three steps that you should take often come together. Once you are on the vehicle and you have already pulled over you need to do the following:
- Stay on your vehicle;
- Open the driver’s side window; and
- Keep your hands in sight on the steering wheel.
You need to always stay in your vehicle. There is no need for you to get out of your car unless you are asked to. Being asked to get out of your car is also subject to other conditions, and we will discuss this later.
Open the driver-side window and this is the only part of your vehicle that you should open. Keep in mind that the police officer or the traffic officer only needs access to see your face and have access to getting your driver’s license or any other information that they may ask. This information is often just pieces of documents relating to your driver’s license, your car, or your insurance. There is not even a need to open your window down.
Keep your hands on the steering wheel. This is to make sure that the police officer will not be able to implicate you for anything as your hands can be seen on the steering wheel.
What do I do if the police officer asks for my information?
The police officer will probably ask you for your information and ask you for your driver’s license or proof of your insurance as well as the vehicle’s registration. You must always keep this part in mind: you may present the documents limited to those related to your vehicle and driving, anything that does not refer to your driving does not need to be presented.
You need to always just present the documents that are related to your driving and your vehicle.
What do I do if I am issued a citation?
If you are issued a traffic ticket for a citation the thing that you need to do is not to argue while you are at the traffic stop. Receive the citation and get all of the documents as well as the following:
- Name of the police officer – Get the name of the police officer who holds you over as well as their police station or where they are assigned. This step is so that you can fight the ticket later on since you know who pulled you over.
- Traffic Citation – Get the traffic citation respectfully and make sure that you are going to perfectly keep it in your records. This is important so that you will be able to question the citation later on if you want to.
- Take Note of All Information Relating to Being Pulled Over – Once you are out of the pull over the area and you are in another place you should take note of all of the information relating to being pulled over. Write down the circumstances that happened and how they happen as well as all of the other information that is necessary for you to protect your rights later on.
How do I protest my citation?
You can easily protest your citation by filing a question in court about the nature of your citation. If you think that you have a problem with the way that the police officer acted and how he treated you, you may also raise your concern to the supervisor.
Should the officer keep my driver’s license?
If it is your first time getting pulled over or it is your first time feeling hot you may be charged with driving under the influence, the police officer will probably not keep your driver’s license. If you have a lot of changes already and traffic citations then the police officer would probably be forced to keep your driver’s license to prevent you from causing further harm on the streets?
When should I call you?
You should call us right after you get pulled over. When you already feel safe and asked to leave, go to a place where you can call us. Do this if you feel that your rights have not been respected and you want to act fast on it. Otherwise, if you want to fight your traffic citation, you may just call us during office hours.
How does being pulled over lead to a DUI charge in Michigan?
This is the question that we aim to answer in the second part of this series.
Disclaimer:
The article that you have read is based on general applications of the law. It is not legal advice and it is not to be construed as any legal consultation with the firm. No client-attorney relationship is created when you read the articles we have provided.
Let us help you out.
If it is your first time getting pulled over and you think that your rights have been trampled on, call us immediately. If you have any problem with the law or are seeking justice and truth, our Southfield criminal defense lawyers are standing by to take your call.
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