Police officers need to have a reason to make a traffic stop. It’s very important that they’re not just making random stops, but that they actually have reasonable suspicion and valid reason to pull the driver over in the first place.
This becomes very important in situations where drivers are accused of more serious crimes, such as driving under the influence or transporting drugs that were discovered in their vehicle. The police couldn’t have known these things before stopping that vehicle, so they need to show that there was a reason for the initial traffic stop to justify the use of the additional evidence in court.
They don’t actually need much of a reason
While it is true that the police need to have a reason to pull you over, it doesn’t have to be all that serious. Here are examples of some minor issues that could lead to a traffic stop:
- A broken headlight
- Driving with the lights off at night
- Mildly exceeding the speed limit
- Having window tint that is too dark
- Having other equipment violations
- Driving with an obstructed windshield or an obstructed license plate
- Driving on an expired registration
On top of that, police officers can pull you over for minor driving violations. These could include things like not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign, making a wide turn or flashing your lights at another vehicle.
If you do face arrest on serious charges stemming from a traffic stop, it is important that the police had a valid reason to make the initial stop. You need to know about all of the criminal defense options at your disposal, especially if you think the stop was not warranted.