Why Do Cops Touch the Back of a Car?

You might have wondered why do cops touch the back of a car, after it is pulled over? Is it to see if the paint is dry yet?

We all try to follow traffic rules and that one time when we do a traffic violation, we get pulled over by a cop. If you’ve been unlucky enough to be pulled over by a cop, you may have noticed police officers do something strange, which is tail-light tapping. You might get nervous when a police officer touches your vehicle and takes his own sweet time to write you a ticket. This isn’t a superstitious practice. There is a very good reason and history behind the infamous tail-tapping done by law enforcement officers during a traffic stop.

Why do Cops Touch the Back of A Car?

Touching the back of the car is a standard procedure, so there is no reason to be concerned if it happens at your next traffic stop. It is done to leave an officer’s fingerprints on the glass. The thumbprints stick fast to glass and can be used to identify the vehicle involved in case the officer become incapacitated. If the safety of the law enforcement officer is compromised by the driver, or the car fled the scene, the police officers track the fingerprint to the perpetrator in question. This practice dates back to the early days when police officers first began patrolling the streets and there were no dash cams.

When police officers conduct a traffic stop, they need to follow various protocols. They have dual responsibility for the safety of the offender as well as the police officer involved. One is to prove that the officer was with that car, so they touch the rear of the vehicle when they approach it. They also need to make sure the trunk of the car is closed.

They use this tactic to startle the driver. The driver is not expecting the tap on the tail light of the vehicle. This gives the police officer additional time to find out what the driver is hiding.

Can a Police Officer Pull You Over for No Reason?

Police Officers can’t read minds. They have to ensure everyone’s safety. If they find reasonable suspicion to believe that you were, are, or about to commit a crime or violation, they can pull you over to investigate. But in this age of video cameras, if an officer makes a traffic stop without adequate probable cause, he will be soon out of a job.

It has always been believed that red cars get pulled over most often. A research done by American Auto Insurance tells us we’ve been wrong all this time. White-colored cars get pulled over more than any other colored car! You might not want to get a white-colored call after all, eh?

Can Cops Take Your Car?

The cops can detain your car if they find any contraband, illegal substances, drugs or violation of the law of the land. If you are not carrying your license, or insurance policy they can take your car as evidence. If they have a suspicion that you are fleeing after committing a crime, they can detain both the vehicle and you.

Why You Should Not Let Cops Touch Your Tail Lights?

You don’t have a choice in this matter. So, when an officer approaches you, remain calm. A driver getting all worked up about being approached by an officer can raise the level of suspicion of police officers. If you try to stop law enforcement officers from conducting their duty and try to stop them from touching your car by exiting or getting aggressive, you are likely to put yourself in a dangerous situation. Do not try to stop an officer from touching your vehicle at a traffic stop or other police officers to conduct their routine investigation unless you want to be apprehended.

Why Do Cops Ask Where You are Going?

This is a trick question. Although it seems like an innocent question, it is a critical part of the investigative process. Officers ask this and many other questions to check for intoxicated drivers, nervous attitude and general behavior of the driver of the vehicle.

Suppose an officer pulls over a driver and he is in an inebriated state and if the person says they are coming from brunch, a bar, or a club, you can now expect the cop to be on high alert. This will prove to be detrimental for the driver.

Why Do Cops Ask for Registration?

Cops have every right to ask for your vehicle registration. The police officer needs your registration paperwork to check whether the car is properly registered by comparing the VIN number of the car, which is used when completing registration. Some criminals steal license plates that they use. By asking to see the registration, the police officer can see if the license plate and the registration they are presented with match, thereby confirming the owner of the car. If the driver’s license is for someone other than the car’s owner, you are probably in for deeper questioning.

What Do Police Use to Stop Cars?

Mostly police officers get behind the speeding car or the car they want to stop with sirens blazing and blue lights flashing. Police cars are equipped with sirens, loud speakers, and light-bars that either rotate or flash. These devices are used by the officer to get the attention of the suspect and to signal that they are expected to move over to the emergency stopping lane and stop. 

This is because Police Officers need to be properly secured in case of an emergency. In the case of traffic stops, the officers pull the patrol vehicle behind the subject vehicle as it stops instead of proceeding past as they would during other emergency responses.

What Are My Rights When Getting Pulled Over?

It is critical that you remain calm if you are pulled over by the police while driving your car. Pull over to the side of the road as soon as it’s safe to do so, making sure you’re not blocking traffic, and turn off your engine. If you’re the driver, turn on the interior light, open the window partially, and place your hands on the steering wheel. Passengers should keep their hands visible at all times.

Do not make any unexpected moves as the cops are ready to respond if they believe they are in some kind of danger. Keep your hands visible to the officer and offer any relevant documents upon request, but only after they have asked for them. Reaching into your pocket or glove compartment without permission could lead to a confrontation.

If you suspect your rights have been violated, memorize or write down badge or patrol car numbers, as well as witness contact information. It is legal for you to record video in order to do so. Although the legal notion of “qualified immunity” which states that officials can only be held liable for activities that violate “clearly established” federal law, makes it difficult to hold police accountable.

Final Words

Don’t get all worked up when officers approach your vehicle. Getting pulled over is very common. There is absolutely no reason to get yourself in knots if you haven’t committed any crime. The police officers touch the tail light of the car to leave evidence in the form of fingerprints on the vehicle, in the event the driver decides to take off.

A police stop is an anxiety situation for you and for the police officer. You feel you are going to be accused of doing something wrong. The officer doesn’t know if you are going to try and harm them in any way.. The best way to handle this situation is to try to act calm; speak slowly; and not make any sudden movements. So, the next time you’re pulled over and a police officer taps your tail light, don’t freak out! It’s just a simple and standard procedure.