Your heart is probably beating a million miles per hour if you’ve been pulled over, which makes you feel uncomfortable and uneasy. The touch of the police officer on the rear of your car is likely to make you feel even more uneasy. But why do police touch the back of your car or taillight when they pull you over? In this article, we examine the main justifications for why police officers touch the backs of moving vehicles.
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Why Do Police Touch The Back Of Your Car?
Below are some of the reasons why police touch the back of your car:
1. Safe Trunk
Many of us are unaware of the danger that law enforcement officials face on a daily basis. Because of this, they are constantly alert and assessing their surroundings to ensure everyone is safe—both the cop and the violator. They can confirm that the trunk is still secured by lightly touching the back of the vehicle. If not, someone might be hidden in the trunk and waiting to ambush the policeman.
If the officers are cooperating, one will frequently search the trunk while the other approaches your window. This procedure is carried out to make sure the motorist doesn’t pull a gun or do anything else risky whilst the second officer inspects the trunk.
2. To Leave Trace
Originally, leaving fingerprints on the car was another reason why police touched tail lights. Fingerprint evidence would demonstrate the officer’s presence at the site in the event that he or she was put at risk when stopping the target car. Only if the interaction between the motorist and the officer resulted in a criminal inquiry, such as a car accident or shooting, would the fingerprints be used. However, because fingerprints can be altered, smeared, or tampered with, as well as washed away by rain or snow, this isn’t always a sure-fire way to aid an inquiry in some way.
The fingerprints are not always the best technique for investigators to gather evidence from a vehicle crime scene.
3. Responses To Tests And Diversion
The police’s mission is to ascertain your mental state. The policeman must, after all, get you back on the road so that the city may be held accountable if something were to happen after you leave. Police want to know if you’re taking drugs, have any illegal things in your car, or are engaging in any other infractions. The police officer is watching for this action since you might want to quickly conceal it when they get closer. The sound the tape makes often surprises drivers. They might stop what they’re doing as a result, giving the police more time to investigate.
Police claim that this approach has increased the number of drunk drivers detained, the number of dealers detained for selling illegal substances, and the number of people discovered in possession of unlicensed firearms. However, because they don’t have both hands prepared for protection when the cop touches the rear of automobiles with one hand, they are slightly more at risk.
4. To Ensure That The Trunk Is Locked
Police officers risk their lives every day while on the job, and they must always be on guard since violence and danger can strike at any time. There is another method police utilise besides tapping a tail light, which might scare a driver and leave evidence on the car. The policeman may touch the back of your car as they approach your window to check that the trunk is locked if they feel threatened at the time of the traffic stop. This method, which may seem strange, makes sure that nobody is in the trunk and might suddenly emerge.
If a police officer does check to make sure your trunk is closed, they usually bring their colleague along. While the other police approach your window, the first cop will inspect the trunk. This is done to protect the officers’ safety and ensure that the driver won’t be able to conceal anything or retrieve a weapon while the officer is opening the trunk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about why police touch the back of your car:
1. Why Do Cops Keep Their Vehicles Running Constantly?
Lights, radios, and sirens are among the numerous pieces of equipment frequently found in police cruisers. This equipment can occasionally consume a lot of power, therefore letting the car idle helps prevent the battery from being discharged. When an emergency call comes in, the last thing they want is a dead battery.
2. Is It Okay If A Police Officer Touches Your Tail Light?
Although touching your tail light when a police officer pulls you over sounds like a good idea, is it actually endangering their safety? Tail light tapping could put policemen in danger because there is more violence against police than before. For example, some police agencies won’t allow their officers to touch the taillights at all, while others would only allow them to touch the side of the car and not the back. By touching the tail light, the officer might be directly behind the automobile and at risk of injury if the driver shifts into reverse.
Even if it sounds morbid, these things do occur, therefore officers must always be on the lookout for the worst while approaching any car.
3. What To Do If A Police Officer Stops You On The Freeway?
In the United States, you should always pull over to the right side of the road. Turn on your flashers or right turn signal to alert the police that you are seeking a safe spot to stop because stopping in the middle of the road is exceedingly risky for both you and the officer. If the road is really wide, it is thought to be relatively safe, and you should stop right away. To be certain, check your state’s laws first.
Conclusion
Think again if you believe that the police touch every cool-looking toy in the store. Many motorists believe that police officer behave like young children who are compelled to touch everything that is dazzling and brilliant. It’s not the case, you can be sure of that.
Instead, the officers search your trunk to discover if you have any murderous surprises hidden inside. If you try to argue that they never stopped you in the first place, they want to leave their prints on your car. You may now be aware that if you depart the scene of the traffic stop, you need properly clean the back of your car. I hope that all your queries on the topic of why do police touch the back of your car are solved.