If you get pulled over by the police, the officer is going to come up and talk to you on the side of the road. This interaction is when they gather information from you and get a sense of the situation. For instance, if the officer suspects that you were driving under the influence because they saw you swerve in your lane, they might be looking for evidence of impairment while they talk to you.
At the same time, police officers will likely ask you numerous questions. It’s common for an officer to ask a driver if they know why they pulled them over, for instance. The officer may also ask if you’ve had anything to drink today. Questions could be as simple as asking where you’re coming from or where you’re heading.
But do you actually have to answer these questions? In many cases, you can simply exercise your right to remain silent, and you don’t have to say anything at all.
Identifying yourself during the traffic stop
One exception to this is that you may have to identify yourself. If the officer asks to see your registration, your proof of insurance and your driver’s license, you should hand them this documentation. You’re already legally required to have all of this simply because you’re operating the motor vehicle, so be prepared to provide them with the correct documents.
However, you generally don’t have to answer any questions beyond this. After all, the officer may simply be hoping that you make their job easier by incriminating yourself. If you admit that you had a drink, are they going to arrest you on drunk driving charges? If you guess at the reason that they pulled you over, are they going to use that as an admission of guilt in court?
It may be better to exercise your right to remain silent, at least until you have your attorney by your side. Be sure you understand all of your legal rights at this time.