When Your Chances Of Arrest Are The Highest

Staying out of legal trouble should be at top of your to-do list. That being said, there are times when you find yourself in complicated situations or on the wrong side of an interaction with police. This raises the question: when are you most likely to be arrested? And how can you avoid it?

How To Avoid Arrest

The simplest way to avoid arrest is to make sure you don’t commit a crime. Unfortunately, sometimes legal troubles can strike even the most law-abiding citizen. What do you do when this occurs to you?

One of the best ways to avoid being arrested is to limit your interactions with police. Police very often do not have your best interests in mind. They can, and will, sometimes stretch the truth to extract a confession. This makes it all the more important to know your rights.

Since traffic stops make up an estimated 42% of all police interactions, it’s safe to say this is when you are most likely to be arrested. Keep in mind the following tips to help avoid getting pulled over:

How Not To Get Pulled Over

1. Do not play overly-loud music while you’re driving your car. This is especially true if you pull up next to a police cruiser at a stop light or when you’re driving at night.
2. Do not eat, shave, text, or do anything else distracting while you drive. This is a good tip both for avoiding getting pulled over, as well as for your safety.
3. Don’t spin your tires. This one sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at the number of people who make the mistake of spinning their tires, thinking that there aren’t any police around, and who then end up getting pulled over.
4. If you are pulled over, don’t be rude or aggressive toward the officer. You’re not doing yourself any favors by losing your temper. Doing so only increases your chance of getting a ticket and, if you become aggressive, getting arrested.
5. Avoid driving in “dangerous areas” at night. This can include areas known for selling narcotics, as well as areas of Chicago known for gang violence. When are you most likely to be arrested or pulled over? When the police find you in these areas.

If You Do Get Pulled Over

If, in spite of these warnings, you still end up getting pulled over, remember the following things:

1. Relax: it’s not the end of the world. Yes, getting pulled over can ruin your day, but remember that you can make things much worse by appearing very jumpy and nervous.
2. The Burden of Proof is on the police. This is another way of saying you are innocent until proven guilty. Remember this and do NOT let the police bully you into anything they aren’t legally allowed to do without your permission.
3. Try not to constantly check your mirror, because doing so, at least to some police, looks suspicious. Keep your eyes ahead and your hands on the steering wheel. If it’s dark out, turn on the lights inside the car and leave them on for the entirety of your exchange with the officer.
4. If you think you’re being followed, don’t make an unnecessary turn just to see if the cop tries to follow you; even if you’re just doing this to check whether or not you’re about to be pulled over, it can still appear very suspicious. Just keep driving at a normal speed, not too fast and not too slow and if the officer wants to pull you over, then they will.

If you’ve been arrested in Chicago, it’s important for you to seek legal help. The attorneys at Mitchell S. Sexner & Associates LLC are aggressive, attentive, and available to help you today. If you have gotten into legal trouble, give us a call at (312) 644-0444 for free information.