Things to Keep In Mind When Stopped by the Traffic Police!

Posted on: Jan 20, 2022 | | Written by:

Things to Keep In Mind When Stopped by the Traffic Police!

Published on January 19, 2022. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes

In India, the traffic police play a very vital role in keeping the roads safe and usable for everyone in an equitable manner. Every day and night, these brave people fight unfavourable weather conditions and pollution, face the risk of traffic hazards and even accidents, for the sake of their duty. And in this process, they need to occasionally stop your car and carry out a few checks. Or if they notice anything illegal, they are duty-bound to stop you and ask questions. So, here are a few things that you must be aware of in case the traffic police stop you. Also keep at least a third-party insurance policy handy as it is legally mandatory.

1. It is very important to not panic when flagged by a traffic police officer. Just because they asked you to stop does not mean that you have done something wrong. These people are professionals who have their order and know what they are doing. Most of the time, the traffic police only stop people for routine enquiries. Unless of course, something is blatantly wrong, like you are not wearing a seat belt or black smoke is coming out from the back of your car. Otherwise, usually, the traffic police might stop you if they are doing traffic movement/direction studies or they have special orders to check vehicles of a certain kind.

2. Remember to slow down your car and stop at a safe place by the side of the road. Many people tend to get panicked and stop their car right in the middle of the road. This can create a lot of road hazards. Not only does stopping your car in the middle of the road slow down the traffic for everyone else, it also creates a risk of accidents, and if you only have third party insurance, you won’t be able to make claims for any repairs that your own car needs.

3. Always cooperate with the traffic police. Remember that they have the legal right to stop your vehicle if they notice any violation. Even if you are stopped for routine checking, you should answer all questions truthfully and show all vehicle documentation like car registration, your driving license, comprehensive or third party insurance.

4. Be polite. Remember that the traffic police are just doing their job. They have no personal grudge against you, and you should not be judging them based on hearsay. Most of the time, the police officers are doing their job at great personal risk and under very stressful conditions. Also, they have the authority by law to demand your vehicle documentation. So, at the end of the day, they deserve the same respect as any other human being.

5. Avoid arguing with traffic police personnel or do not try to bribe them. You will only make matters worse. While there is no denying that there have been cases of corruption among traffic police officers, no one has the right to start a fight with them or to start waving money in their faces. Not only is it highly disrespectful, but also attempting to bribe a public servant can land you in bigger legal troubles. Show them the papers you have and speak calmly and proceed as instructed.

6. You should know what to do in case you or your vehicle is detained by the traffic police. Generally, this only happens if something has gone very wrong. In such a condition, talk to the police personnel about the way forward and call up a lawyer who will be able to guide you about the future course of action. One good way to avoid being detained is to drive safe and ensure that you have all the car documents with you, like registration, license, PUC and third party insurance or comprehensive insurance.

All in all, keep in mind that being stopped by the traffic police is mostly a routine affair and nothing to worry about. Remember that cooperating with the law will always get the matter sorted faster and prevent things from getting blown out of proportion.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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