How long does a cop have to pull you over for speeding?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
How long does a cop have to pull you over for speeding?
I was pulled over tonight and which a cop said I was going 40 in a 25 mph zone over a railroad track but the cop waited over a mile to pull me over and when he did pull me over it was in a legal 35 zone. However, most of all he didn’t even put the longitude or anything on the ticket just the highway name what should I do?
Asked on May 17, 2018 under General Practice, South Carolina
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
The fact is that there is no hard and fast rule as to how long a police officer can follow you before pulling you over. It is a matter up to the officer's discretion. Bottom line, they can follow you for as long as it takes to make a reasonable determination that you pose a danger to public safety. Accordingly, they can choose to follow a driver who was driving recklessly (and speeding would count) for a period of time in order to observe whether or not they commit any other traffic offenses or may be engaged in some sort of criminal activity.
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
The fact is that there is no hard and fast rule as to how long a police officer can follow you before pulling you over. It is a matter up to the officer's discretion. Bottom line, they can follow you for as long as it takes to make a reasonable determination that you pose a danger to public safety. Accordingly, they can choose to follow a driver who was driving recklessly (and speeding would count) for a period of time in order to observe whether or not they commit any other traffic offenses or may be engaged in some sort of criminal activity.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.