Whether you rolled a stop sign, forgot to wear your seat belt, or went 15 mph over the speed limit, being pulled over is stressful. Do you know how to handle it?

When going through drivers ed, I was taught the basics of being pulled over, but I was not told how I should react to the officer or how I should respond. Between being in the car when my Mom was pulled over or hearing my sibling’s stories of their experiences with the police, I think that your attitude is key in pulling away with  

According to the LHS police liaison, Officer Robert Uliks, Libertyville police officers do not have to write a certain amount of tickets per month; it is their decision to give you a ticket or a warning.

With that in mind, here is my list on how I think a teenager should respond to being pulled over.

-Don’t Try To Get Out Of It

Crying, arguing, and questioning won’t help you. Every officer has seen a teenage girl cry and complain about how her parents are going to “kill her.” Arguing won’t help you and may even make the situation worse. Questioning the officer is just plain disrespectful; don’t do it.

-Focus On Keeping Yourself And The Officer Calm

The best response to being pulled over is staying calm. If the officer notices that something is off, he or she might be in a state of suspicion. You do not want an officer to be suspicious of you because they could be on a higher alert and not be swayed against giving you a traffic ticket.

-Stay Calm

Officers have to be stoic at all times, that is their job. You may get lucky and have a pleasant encounter with one, but it is rare that they are going to calm you down, and they will not be happy with tears.

-Attitude Is Key

Show respect and be nice. Nobody is happy when they are pulled over; make an officer’s day and smile at them. Anything that will make you stand out helps. It’s more likely for mercy to be shown to a girl on her way back from babysitting than a sobbing mess of a teenager coming home from a party.

-Small Talk Helps

Simply asking “how has your day been?” could make a police officer think differently about giving you that ticket. When they go back to their car to look over your information, it may help your situation if they have a positive image of you in their mind.

-Be Polite (you can even try requesting a warning instead of a ticket)

Often times asking or requesting something different than what the officer has planned could change his or her mind. You can try to tell them that you’ve never been pulled over before and you can’t believe you forgot to signal, then ask nicely for a warning. You might be surprised at how they react.

-Turn On Your Dome Light (at nighttime)

Police officers are taught to be alert when approaching any vehicle. Nobody wants to have to lean into a dark car window and not be able to see. Be courteous.

-Know Where Your Information Is

Nothing screams unprofessional like fumbling in every compartment of your car for your registration and forgetting which pocket your license is in. You have a minute or two while the officer is still in his or her car to get your information together. As previously mentioned, officers have to be cautious and alert; you suddenly turning and reaching into your back pocket for your license, or reaching for the glovebox could easily be interpreted as you pulling out a weapon.

-Tell Your Friends to Be Quiet

If you are pulled over with friends in your car, it is best to hush up. No officer wants to deal with your defensive best friend in the passenger seat. Turn the music off and make sure you are both listening to what the officer says. Both of you should put your phones away and look at the officer when he or she is speaking.

–Mom and Dad

Tell your parents that you got a ticket. The Libertyville Police Department does not have to contact the parents of a teen about warnings or traffic tickets. There is no point in hiding it from your parents; if you want them to treat you like an adult, then you need to show maturity and own up to your mistakes.

-Move On

Almost everybody will be pulled over in their lifetime. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Try to fix what was wrong and hopefully you won’t be pulled over again. Police usually don’t know who they are pulling over until the walk up to the window and see you. They don’t pull you over because you are a teenager; they pulled you over because you did something wrong. The police aren’t after you specifically — they are just doing their job.