LAWYER: 10 Traffic Stop Rights You NEED to Know

You have freedoms in this great nation that are protected by our Constitution. But will you be able to defend yourself the next time you're pulled over? Here's what you need to know *today*!

Free Guides:

00:00 10 Rights Every Driver Has In A Traffic Stop
00:20 1. You Have The Right To Say NO!
02:11 2. You Are Not Required To Reveal Your Immigration Status Or What You Are Doing To The Police
02:34 3. Ask The Officer If You Are Free To Leave
04:53 4. Answer Only The Questions You Have To Answer
06:20 5. Say NOTHING Before You Say Something!
08:20 6. Police Must Have A Legal Basis To Search Your Vehicle
09:15 Watch For Trick Language By The Police
10:22 Body Language Can Give Consent To A Police Search!!
11:38 7. You Have A Right To Refuse To Perform DWI Field Sobriety Tests
12:32 8. Know Your Rights If Asked To Search You Or Your Property
14:19 9. You Have A Legal Right To Record Your Traffic Stop!
16:34 10. You Have A Right To Fight In Court, NOT At The Roadside!

[tomc.]

I had a legal professor actually perform sobriety tests on our entire class of 40 and at the end of the testing he was able to show that everyone of the 40 students failed the roadside sobriety, even though it was 8:00 on a Tuesday morning and not one of them had had a drink in more than 8 hours. Never consent to a sobriety test . My roommate refused to take the sobriety test and refused a roadside breathalyzer and was taken to jail and spent three days in jail but his blood tests proved that he had had no alcohol whatsoever and he was able to beat the charge and file suit against the department to get his money back for the impounding of his car and legal fees.

[srhatfield]

Always have a recording device like a dash cam in your car, then show the officer your phone and tell them that you are recording the interaction. They will see the phone and think that is the recording device, but in reality it's the dash cam. Now if the officer takes your phone or demands that you erase the recording, you have backup proof of their illegal activity.

[texasgirlmomx]

3:31 THIS is VERY important!! This is currently known as the Kansas Two Step, no lie. A case before a federal court JUST ruled that, coming back for that "talk", is an extension of the original stop. Stay safe!! Say nothing!! Record the police!! EVERYTIME!!

[al]

Every K9 should have to keep track of the number of false positives

[frankp]

One that should also be mentioned is that even after any fact you gave consent to search, one can also revoke their consent to search. So, even after any search has started, you have the right to tell them to stop.
Know your rights and learn the laws. Also record any interaction with the officers making sure to get names and badge/ID numbers.

[tomygun]

I went through a DUI checkpoint a few years ago. I didn't mind the license check but they were asking a lot of questions that were none of their business. "Where are you going", "Where are you coming from" etc. My stock answer at that point is "That way". Then they get butthurt and things escalate immediately. It's difficult to remain calm at that point but it's all that can be done.

[chawndel]

Problem is, fighting it in court doesn't go well for poor people who can't afford a lawyer, let alone a good one.

[areafifty]

The problem with standing up for your rights is that the police are going to screw you over as hard as possible if you have the audacity to exercise your rights

[jackreisewitz]

Always Remember: Police live and breathe by the principle of subjectivity. Not Objectivity.
"I think you're acting suspiciously. I think you seem nervous. I think you appear intoxicated. I think you're acting guilty. You appear to fit the descrition of a person we're looking for. You didn't appear to pass my F.S.T. You responded too quickly. You responded too slowly...." The list goes on and on.
The important thing to them is to remain under conditions where everything you do is subject to their personal interpretation. Not objective, black and white standards of performance.
Therefore, don't consent to cooperate with anything where you are tested in subjective terms (subject to their interpretation) such as field sobriety tests, or drug dog searches, Or Simple, Random Questioning.
Your safest course is to state that you prefer to remain silent, you don't answer questions without having legal counsel present, you do not give consent... And are you free to go??
You ask the questions. Why am I being held from leaving? What is the clear and reasonable suspicion of a crime justifying their action? What is the law that justifies this action? Who is their supervisor? When will he arrive for you to speak with him?
ASK FOR SPECIFICS. Not answers subject to interpretation. Where is their warrant? Please allow me to see it now.
Why is it necessary to "go there" with the police? Because they are trained to be devious in their actions with you. Their attitude is summed up in the language of the Meranda Rights statement: "Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law."
They are not seeking to find you innocent. That's the jury's job. Their job is to discover reasons to bring charges against you. That, at least, is always clear.

[AmericaFirstNow]

The problem with going to court is, You can be innocent, It will cost you a lot of money. And every one in that court room is getting paid except you. And often it's because of the ignorance of the cop.

[JeanPark]

A big problem is that even if you sue for an unlawful arrest the officers will get away scot free. Qualified immunity needs to go or have more serious consequences.

[howieziegler]

I just saw a video where a man was given a warning for failure to stop. The cops then asked if they could search his vehicle and he said no. They tried to remove him from the driver seat at which time he put the car in drive, and drove off, dragging the two cops with him. He did spend a year in jail, fighting the charges for which he was facing 25 years of life. Essentially a judge acquitted him of all charges because everything that happened after the warning was issued was illegal institutional. He had the right to leave and the cops had no right to stop him. He now has a pending civil suit against cops and the city.

[DavidM]

1:50 What bothers me about the "what do you have to hide ?" question is that, from my perspective, I've done nothing wrong and have nothing bad in my vehicle so the only reason that you could want to get inside is to plant something. So, it's all downside risk to allow the search. Sorry officer, but, respectfully, no thanks.

[quincybirwood]

A couple of things you could have added include if a cop is doing a pat down to look for weapons and asks you to take everything out of your pockets, you don't have to do it. And if the cop has a bodycam, ask them if the bodycam is on or why it's not blicking. It's amazing how many cops try to not turn on their camera and later claim they forgot to turn it on.

[JudyChilds-fuem]

You cannot lie to the officer, but the officer can lie to you.💧

[raymondcampbell]

That's the trouble with the system. The lawyer gets paid and the cop usually gets away with the crime.

[brianmurphy]

I think it is outstanding, and commendable that lawyers like you take the time out of their day to just help inform the public about laws, and our rights as citizens. Everyone should take the time to know these facts, and familiarize themselves with the rights bestowed on us at birth that so many have fought, and died to preserve. We all should humble ourselves, and never take for granted just what a unique, and special country we share together that we the people are guaranteed rights, and individual freedoms. Thanks so much. New subscriber.

[saltyolbroad]

Make sure to "invoke" your 5th. Some new case law has a twist - i don't remember exactly - that you have to invoke it immediately or the court now uses it against you because you waited for an incriminating question or somethinglike that. Look it up, attorney dude!

[zachw]

And this is where I'm not a fan of qualified immunity

[michaelalbert]

This video should be mandatory viewing for ALL drivers!
Great advice with number 10 being the most important!
DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO ESCALATION OF THE ENCOUNTER!