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If police lights come on behind you, signal right, pull over completely as soon as it is safe, stop, turn off the radio, stay in the car and keep your hands where the officer can see them. Wait to be asked before you reach for your license, insurance and registration. These steps come from the California and Alabama driver handbooks, which both have a section on traffic stops. This guide is for teens, permit holders and new drivers in any US state, and covers what to say, what you must hand over, and what a ticket can mean for a learner or provisional license.
Key facts
- Documents the driver must produce: driver’s license (or permit), proof of insurance and vehicle registration. California and Alabama both say so.
- Your supervising driver should have their license too, because a permit is only valid with a qualified adult beside you.
- Texas law since 2017 (the Community Safety Education Act, SB 30) requires driver education courses to teach what to do during a traffic stop.
- A ticket on a permit or provisional license can bring extra penalties on top of the fine, such as California’s 30-day restriction after two at-fault crashes or convictions in the first 12 months.
What to do when you see lights behind you: step by step
- Signal right. California says turning on your right signal shows the officer you have seen them.
- Pull over fully, as soon as it is safe. Move completely onto the right shoulder, even if you were in a carpool lane. If you can, choose a well-lit spot. Don’t stop in the middle of an intersection, on a bridge or on a curve with no shoulder: slow down, signal, and stop at the first safe place.
- Stop and secure the car. Shift to park and set the parking brake. Alabama says to turn off the ignition and the radio.
- Stay in the car unless the officer tells you to get out.
- Lower your window before the officer reaches you.
- Hands in view. Keep both hands on the steering wheel. Passengers keep theirs visible too, and stay calm and seated.
- At night, turn on the interior light (Alabama’s manual).
- Put your phone down and give the officer your attention.
- Tell the officer about any weapon in the vehicle at first contact (Alabama’s manual).
- Wait to be asked for documents. If they are in the glove box, a bag or the back seat, say where they are before you reach for them.
What happens during the stop
- The officer identifies themselves. Alabama’s manual says an officer out of uniform will show credentials, and you may ask to see them.
- They ask for your license, insurance and registration, and usually some basic questions about your trip.
- They may give a warning, a ticket (citation) or, for serious offenses, more.
What if I’m on a learner’s permit?
Say so and hand over the permit. The officer may also ask for your supervising driver’s license, to check they meet your state’s age and license rules. Driving on a permit without a qualified supervisor breaks the permit’s conditions. See GDL rules compared and driving on a permit in another state.
Your rights during a traffic stop
California’s handbook has a section on your rights during an enforcement stop. Rights come from federal and state law, so details differ by state, but California’s list is a useful guide:
| Situation | What California’s handbook says |
|---|---|
| An officer asks permission to search or do something | You can say no. If the officer says they will do it anyway, don’t interfere, but you can clearly say you don’t consent. |
| Documents | The driver must produce a driver’s license, proof of insurance and registration. |
| Passengers | May decline to identify themselves in some cases, but must not interfere. |
| Immigration status | California state and local officers may not ask, and you can decline to answer. |
| Recording | Generally protected in public, as long as you don’t interfere. Don’t reach into hidden places for your phone without permission. |
| Unlocking your phone | You can generally decline, with some exceptions such as parole. |
| You think your rights were violated | State your objection, but don’t physically resist. File a complaint with the officer’s agency later. Retaliation for complaining is prohibited. |
Outside California, ask your driver ed instructor or check your state’s handbook for its version.
If you get a ticket
- Don’t argue at the roadside. Alabama’s manual says you can contest the ticket in court instead.
- Signing is not admitting guilt. In Alabama, signing a citation is not an admission of guilt, but refusing to accept one may lead to arrest. Many states work the same way.
- Write down the details afterwards: time, date, location, officer name or badge number. Alabama says to report inappropriate conduct to the officer’s agency promptly.
- Read the ticket. It tells you the deadline to pay or appear. Missing it can lead to a suspension.
Tickets on a permit or provisional license
New drivers face extra consequences on top of the fine and points. Two California examples, from the DMV handbook:
- Within the first 12 months of a provisional license, two at-fault collisions, two convictions, or one of each means 30 days where you may drive only with a licensed adult aged 25 or older.
- Three in that period means a 6-month suspension and then a year of probation. Turning 18 does not end restrictions already imposed.
Other states can extend your permit, delay your next GDL stage or suspend at lower point totals. See getting a ticket as a teen or new driver, points systems and suspensions and California provisional license rules.
Which states teach traffic stops in driver ed?
- Texas: the Community Safety Education Act (SB 30, 2017) directed the licensing commission to require traffic stop procedures in driver education and driving safety courses, including a demonstration of the proper actions during a stop.
- California and Alabama: the official handbooks, which every permit applicant studies, include a section on what to do during a law enforcement stop.
Other states have added similar content to their courses or manuals. Check your state’s handbook.
Common questions
Should I pull over right away or wait for a safe place?
Signal immediately so the officer knows you have seen them, then stop at the first place that is safe, off the travel lanes. Don’t stop on a bridge, in a tunnel or around a blind curve.
Do I have to show my license?
Yes, if you are the driver. California and Alabama both require the driver to produce a license, proof of insurance and registration. Keep insurance and registration in the same place in the car every time.
Can I get a ticket on my permit?
Yes. Permit holders get the same tickets as anyone else, and violations can delay your license. The supervising adult can also be responsible if they were not qualified to supervise.
What if the car isn’t mine?
You still need the car’s registration and insurance. Check they are in the car before you drive a parent’s or friend’s vehicle.
What is the difference between pulling over for police and for an ambulance?
For an emergency vehicle that isn’t stopping you, you pull to the right, stop and let it pass, then carry on. See pulling over for emergency vehicles. When an officer is stopping you, stay stopped until they tell you that you may leave.
What if I’m asked to take a breath test?
Every state has an implied consent law, and drivers under 21 face a much lower alcohol limit. See implied consent and DUI and zero tolerance for under 21s.
Alabama-specific guide?
See what to expect at an Alabama traffic stop.
Sources
- California DMV, “California Driver’s Handbook, Section 6: Navigating the Roads (Continued)”: Law Enforcement Stops (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “California Driver’s Handbook, Section 7: Laws and Rules of the Road (Continued)” (dmv.ca.gov)
- Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, “Alabama Driver Manual”: What to Do and Expect During Law Enforcement Stop (alea.gov)
- Texas Legislature, “S.B. 30, 85th Legislature, enrolled text and bill analysis” (capitol.texas.gov)