Traffic stops — North Carolina Permit Test

When you see emergency lights or hear a siren behind you, stay calm, signal, and pull to the right, off the traveled part of the highway, at the nearest point where it is safe.

The officer wants both of you out of traffic. Signaling and moving right tells them you have seen them.

When you see emergency lights and/or hear a siren behind you, stay calm, activate your turn signal, pull the vehicle always to the right, and off the travel portion of the highway at the nearest point where it is safe to do so.

If there is no obvious safe place to stop immediately, turn on your hazard flashers and reduce your speed by about 10 mph to show the officer you are aware, then continue to the nearest safe area.

Flashers and a lower speed say “I see you” without stopping somewhere dangerous. The officer will follow you to a safe spot.

If there is not an obvious safe place to immediately stop the vehicle, turn on your emergency 4 way flashers and reduce your speed (by about 10 mph) to signal to the officer that you are aware of their presence.

If an unmarked car is stopping you and you doubt it is a real officer, you may call 9-1-1 before pulling over and give your name and location to verify the stop.

A real officer’s stop is on record. One call confirms it before you stop for a stranger.

If an unmarked car is stopping you and you have a legitimate question or concern as to whether or not you are being stopped by an actual law enforcement officer, you may call 9-1-1 before pulling over.

After stopping, put the vehicle in Park, roll down the window, turn off the engine, silence devices and the radio, and keep your seat belt on unless the officer asks you to remove it.

Unbuckling looks like getting ready to leave the car. Staying belted keeps the stop calm for both of you.

Do not remove your seatbelt unless asked to do so by the officer.

Place both hands on the steering wheel and have passengers keep their hands in plain view; back-seat passengers should put their hands on the back of the front seat.

The officer cannot see what a hidden hand is doing. Hands in view answer the question before it is asked.

You should place both hands on the steering wheel and instruct any passengers to keep their hands in a position that is clearly visible to the officer at all times.

Under state law you are required to identify yourself and provide your driver license and vehicle registration; after that you may choose whether to answer further questions.

Identity and documents are required by law. Anything beyond that is your choice to answer.

Under State law, you are required to identify yourself and provide your drivers license and registration for the vehicle.

If you or a passenger has a concealed weapon permit and a weapon is in the vehicle, you must inform the officer; do not reach for any weapon.

An officer who finds a weapon unannounced has to assume the worst. Saying so first keeps everyone calm.

If you or your passenger(s) have a concealed weapon permit and a weapon is in the vehicle, you or your passenger(s) must inform the officer of that fact.

Do not exit the vehicle or allow passengers to exit unless the officer instructs you to, and do not search under seats or in the glove box for documents unless asked.

Reaching into a glove box looks the same as reaching for a weapon. Wait for the officer to ask.

If your driver license and/or vehicle registration is not readily accessible, do not reach under the seats and do not open the glove box or other compartments and begin searching for your license or registration unless you are asked to do so by the officer.

Your acceptance and signature on a traffic ticket is not an admission of guilt, and if you disagree you can explain your side in court rather than arguing with the officer.

The roadside is not where a ticket is decided. Signing it only says you received it.

Your acceptance and signature on a traffic ticket is not an admission of guilt.

Resisting, delaying or obstructing a law enforcement officer during a traffic stop is a class 2 misdemeanor.

Arguing at the roadside can turn a ticket into a criminal charge. The place to argue is the courtroom.

Resisting, delaying or obstructing a law enforcement officer during a traffic stop is a class 2 misdemeanor.

If it is nighttime, turn on your interior lights as soon as you stop so the officer can see inside your vehicle.

At night the officer is walking up to a dark box. Lighting the inside shows them there is nothing to fear.

To assist with visibility, turn on your interior lights as soon as you stop to help the officer see inside your vehicle.

An officer’s blue lights come on behind you. Where should you pull over?

To the right, off the travel lanes, at the nearest safe point. The officer wants both of you out of traffic. Signaling and moving right tells them you have seen them. North Carolina Driver Handbook, p.49: “When you see emergency lights and/or hear a siren behind you, stay calm, activate your turn signal, pull the vehicle always to the right, and off the travel portion of the highway at the nearest point where it is safe to do so.”