Traffic stops — Missouri Permit Test

When you see emergency lights behind you, stay calm, activate your turn signal, and pull off or to the side of the roadway as soon and as safely as possible.

The signal tells the officer you have seen them, which is the first thing they are waiting to know.

stay calm, activate your turn signal, and pull off or to the side of the roadway as soon and safely as possible

Turn off the ignition and radio and stay in your vehicle unless the officer directs you to get out.

Getting out unasked changes the officer's read of the stop before a word has been said.

Turn off the ignition and radio, and stay in your vehicle unless directed by the officer to exit.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel so they are easily observable, and ask passengers to keep their hands in plain view too.

The officer cannot see what a hand is doing out of sight, and has to assume the worst.

Keep your hands on the steering wheel so they are easily observable.

Do not make sudden moves or search for your license or vehicle documents; wait for the officer to give you instructions.

Reaching for the glovebox unprompted is the movement officers are trained to be alarmed by.

Do not make sudden moves or search for your driver’s license or vehicle documents – wait for the officer to give you instructions.

If you have a weapon in the vehicle, inform the officer upon first contact.

Telling them at the start is the whole difference between a disclosure and a discovery.

If you have a weapon(s) in the vehicle, inform the officer upon first contact.

At night, turn on your interior lights as soon as you stop to help the officer see inside your vehicle.

A lit cabin removes most of what an officer approaching in the dark has to guess at.

turn on your interior lights as soon as you stop to help the officer see inside your vehicle

If the documents the officer asks for are out of your reach, tell the officer where they are before you reach for them.

Saying it first turns a sudden movement into an expected one.

If the documents are out of your reach, tell the officer where they are before you reach for them.

Your acceptance and signature on a traffic ticket is not an admission of guilt, but refusing to sign may result in your arrest.

Signing acknowledges the ticket, not the offense. Refusing is the thing that changes the situation.

Your acceptance and signature on a traffic ticket is not an admission of guilt; however, the refusal to sign a traffic ticket may result in your arrest.

If you disagree with an officer's decision to issue a ticket, do not prolong the contact by arguing; you can explain your view in court.

The roadside is not where the decision is made. The court is, and arguing only lengthens the stop.

If you disagree with the officer’s decision to issue a traffic ticket, don’t prolong the contact by arguing with the officer.

If an officer is not in uniform they will show you their law enforcement credentials, or you may ask to see them.

You are entitled to know who has stopped you, and the guide says so plainly.

If the officer isn’t in uniform they will show you their law enforcement credentials or you may ask to see them.

Cell phones and mobile devices should not be used by you or any of your passengers during a traffic stop.

The officer needs everyone's attention on the stop, and a phone in a hand is a hand they cannot read.

Cell phones and mobile devices should not be used by you or any of your passengers.

What should you do first when an officer signals you to stop?

Activate your turn signal and pull over safely. The signal tells the officer you have seen them, which is the first thing they are waiting to know. Missouri Driver Guide, p.60: “stay calm, activate your turn signal, and pull off or to the side of the roadway as soon and safely as possible”