Blue lights! What now?

Sheriff Mike Allen walks county motorists through the do’s and don’ts of a traffic stop

Editor, The Evening Times We’ve all been there. If you’re my wife, you’ve been there more times than you think I know about, but that’s fine.

“You are driving along and suddenly see blue lights in your rear view mirror,” Crittenden County Sheriff Mike Allen says, setting the scene. “What’s next?”

Well, it’s probably true that veteran drivers with a penchant for having a lead foot likely know the drill, but that’s not always the case.

“Many citizens do not know what the officer expects you to do during a traffic stop,” Allen explains.

And it’s true. Teen and young adult drivers will often panic when they are pulled over by the police for the very first time.

And even if you’ve been stopped dozens of times, like my wife, you might be in an unfamiliar city or it might be late at night.

Or maybe you are just the nervous type. With that in mind, the sheriff offers the following tips for traffic stops…

When you see blue lights: 1. Turn on your blinker and prepare to merge to the right. Find an open parking lot or move as far to the right of the roadway as safely possible. DO NOT feel rushed to pull over immediately. The officer will follow you until you find a safe place to stop.

2. Put your car in park.

If you can, turn off your engine and turn down your radio.

3. Sit still. Wait in the car with hands on the steering wheel until you are contacted by the officer.

4. When asked, provide the appropriate documentation – Driver’s License, Registration, Proof of Insurance, and Concealed Carry when applicable.

5. Be calm. Rest assured that this encounter will be recorded for your safety as well as the officer’s.

6. The side of the road is not the place to argue. The judicial system has processes in place to defend yourself and we encourage you to do so if you wish.

7. When the encounter is over, merge back onto the roadway. Drive safely!

No, of course, this is all assuming you’re just being suspected of a moving violation. Maybe you were going a little too fast?

Maybe your tail light is out or your tags are expired?

But what if you’re a criminal? Well, the same rules apply. And no matter what you might have done. There are plenty of stories out there about suspects who refuse to stop when commanded to do so. Just recently, a police officer in Little Rock was forced to shoot a suspect (who was on drugs) who refused to stop his car, even after the officer got on the hood of the car.

Earlier this year, a couple (in a stolen car) from North Carolina led West Memphis Police on a chase through the east side of the city and refused to stop, even after being trapped by a patrol car blockade and even after running over an officer. They were shot and killed.

So, no matter what you’ve done, it’s not worth your life. Refusing to stop for police or evading a police officer is in and of itself a criminal act. Not stopping when told to by a police officer will only add to your trouble. A person can be charged with misdemeanor eluding police, and that is punishable by six months in county jail and/ or a $1,000 fine, on top of whatever else might be in play.

And on a personal note.

Make sure your Proof of Insurance is up to date.

I’ve had to go to court at least half a dozen times to show the nice judge (Judge Fred Thorne these days, but my habit goes back to Judge Pal Rainey) that I did, indeed have insurance coverage at the time of my traffic stop.

So take it from Sheriff Allen and stay safe out there!