“Unveiling the Mystery: What Does It Mean When Cops Tap Your Tail Light During a Traffic Stop?”
Have you ever found yourself cruising down the road, your favorite song blasting in your ears, only to be jolted back to reality by flashing lights in your rearview mirror? Suddenly, you’re reminded that a police officer is about to have a chat with you about something you might not even realize you did wrong! Trust me, it’s not just you feeling the pressure—being pulled over is an anxiety-inducing experience for everyone involved! But have you ever wondered why that officer taps your tail light when they approach your vehicle? Well, it turns out there’s a method to this seemingly bizarre action. Find out the surprising reasons behind this tactic and how it plays a crucial role in the officer’s safety during traffic stops. Curious? Let’s dive in! LEARN MORE.Being pulled over is a stressful situation; it’s a police officer’s way of saying “hey we saw you do something wrong and we’re going to talk to you about it!” Even if you might not realize what you did!
Police officers came up with a trick to help themselves as they approach any car that is pulled over.
First Officers Monitor Vehicles on the Roadway
Just picture it; you’re cruising down the road enjoying the beautiful day, singing and jamming out to your favorite music.
But you maybe don’t realize how fast you’re going, or that you just passed a police officer with a speed gun trying to get his next catch of the day.
They See Someone to Pull Over
The next thing you hear is sirens, getting closer and coming from behind you; you look at your rearview mirrors and see that a police car is driving up.
You pull over to the side of the road.
Yikes, It’s You That’s Being Pulled Over
As you move to the side of the road, you realize that you’re the one the police officer is pulling over!
“Oh no!” You think to yourself, becoming anxious as you see the police officer pull up behind you and get out of his car.
The Officer Touches Your Tail Light
You watch through the mirror – the officer walks toward your car.
Then, he places his hand on the back of your car – specifically on the tail light – before making his way to talk to you.
You’re Curious…
You’ve never been pulled over before and are perplexed – “why did the officer touch my car?” You think to yourself.
And you’re about to ask the officer, but you completely forget when you start interacting with the cop and are issued a ticket.
All In The Name Of Safety?
Being a police officer comes with its fair share of dangers, but how dangerous is pulling someone over in their car?
According to the CDC, between 2011-2020 454 officers died due to motor vehicle related crashes, which accounts for 33% of all line-of-duty deaths. But does this have anything to do with them pulling you over?
8% Of Line-Of-Duty Deaths
You may be surprised, but pulling someone over is more dangerous than we assume.
It’s pretty shocking, but of those 33% of officers killed in the line-of-duty, 8% of those deaths are caused by officers being struck by vehicles while they’re on foot.
States Are Actively Working To Keep Officers Safe
Because of how dangerous pulling someone over is for the officer, every state except for DC has something called a “Move Over Law”.
This law requires drivers to change lanes and move over to give officers space when they’re pulled over on the roadside.
But There Are Other Dangers With Pulling Someone Over
Even though the Move Over Laws exist to protect officers, there is still a huge risk factor that they face when pulling someone over.
You’d be surprised to know being struck by a moving vehicle is far from the only danger they face.
The Internet Has All The Answers!
Thankfully, you don’t have to wonder what those dangers are and why the officer touched your taillight for long.
You don’t have to ask the officer why they touched your tail light, just check the internet for the answers to your query!
Surprise! Did I Startle You?
Startling the driver is one of the main reasons why police officers tap tail lights.
Most of the time the driver is not expecting the noise so their reaction gives the police officer some time to observe the driver.
The Tail Light Tapping Trick Started a Long Time Ago
