It’s very likely that a police officer will ask you questions if they pull you over for a traffic stop. These questions could include:
- Where are you coming from?
- Where are you going?
- Do you know why I pulled you over?
- Do you know how fast you were driving?
- Have you had anything to drink today?
The officer may sound authoritative as if they’re demanding answers, or they may just sound like they’re making casual conversation while they inspect your license and registration. Either way, do you have to answer the questions?
You only have to identify yourself
Most of the time, you do not have to provide answers to any questions beyond those related to identifying yourself. You do need to show the officer your driver’s license. They can also ask you for your proof of insurance and vehicle registration.
However, you don’t have to answer any questions about where you’re going, if you’ve had anything to drink or even if you know why the officer pulled you over in the first place. The thing to remember is that the police officer may be hoping you help them do their job by incriminating yourself—admitting to drinking alcohol, for instance, and giving them a reason for a drunk driving arrest. If you guess at why you think they pulled you over, the officer could use that as an admission of guilt—claiming that you intentionally broke the law because you knew what you were doing wrong.
You have a Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate yourself, so you don’t need to answer these questions. If you still end up getting arrested, then it’s important to carefully consider all of your legal defense options.
