Annandale campus Police Officers Tony Ong and Andrew Jenkins pull over dispatcher Chase Briggs in a reenacted routine traffic stop.

It’s happened to many of us. We’re driving along, maybe late for class and going too fast or looking for a parking space and not paying attention to how we’re driving. Then we see blue lights flashing behind us. No matter who we are, we get nervous. We may wonder what we did wrong, or we may know. But even if we do know what we did, we don’t all know what to do next.

People tend to love police officers when they need their help and curse them when they get a traffic ticket. But the officer walking toward your car has a job to do, and part of that job is to give tickets to anyone violating traffic laws, which still apply on campus.

Remember, the officer may be nervous, too. He or she doesn’t know if you are armed or how you’ll react. And violence can happen anywhere.

According to Officer Tony Ong of the Annandale campus police, the protocol for a traffic stop begins with activating the police vehicle’s emergency lights, followed by calling the stop in, running the license plate to check for warrants and looking for anything out of the ordinary. Then, once up to the stopped vehicle, the officer will scan the driver to see if he or she is hiding something.

If running the tags reveals a warrant, then another NOVA police officer is called to the scene as backup. If no other campus police officer is available, then the officer may request assistance from a local jurisdiction.

So what should drivers do when pulled over?

Ong and Sgt. John Stasiowski, also of the Annandale campus police, offer advice on what to do when the police lights are flashing behind you.

First, find a safe location and pull over, preferably on the right shoulder out of the flow of traffic. Stasiowski said people tend to act in unpredictable ways once they notice the police lights. Some stop immediately in the road, so the police have to be prepared for anything.

After pulling over, keep your hands on the steering wheel. If it’s dark, turn on the exterior light. Lower the window in order to communicate with the officer.

Be prepared to show the officer your driver’s license, vehicle registration and proof of insurance. Stasiowski said that all three of these must be carried by drivers when operating a motor vehicle. So even if you have a valid driver’s license, if you left it at home you could still get a ticket.

So what should drivers NOT do when pulled over?

Stasiowski stressed that, when stopped by the police, you should not get out of your vehicle. The police don’t know what your intentions are, and it’s seen as a threatening move.

“It may be the practice in some other states for the officer… to motion the violator back to their vehicle, but that’s not the way it’s done in Virginia,” stated Stasiowski.

He also advised not to argue with the officer.

Not signing the ticket will result in being arrested and taken before the magistrate, according to Stasiowski. He added that signing a ticket is not an admission of guilt. It’s an acknowledgement that you’ve received the ticket, which is also a summons to court to answer to the charge.

Ever wonder why officers ask drivers if they know why the police pulled them over? Stasiowski said that sometimes the driver will reveal something else. Once, he stopped a woman for making a left turn where that action wasn’t allowed. After asking her if she knew why he pulled her over, she said it was for driving too fast.

Ong said he often hears the excuse: “I didn’t see the sign.”

He’s also heard: “I’ve only been driving for a couple of days,” which he doesn’t find credible.

“They make it seem like it’s something they’re not supposed to know immediately,” said Ong.

Another common excuse is: “I didn’t know.” This excuse doesn’t work because drivers are obligated to know traffic laws before getting a driver’s license.

“This reason why I’m stopping you is not something new,” he added.

Students aren’t the only ones who need to follow traffic laws on campus — the college faculty and staff are issued tickets if they violate the law.

By: KJ Mushung

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