When police lights start flashing behind you, your responsibilities are clear — or are they?
Earlier this year, three men pretending to be police made headlines after pulling over and robbing a man in Adelaide.
The incident sparked fierce discussion and some drivers began to question their safety at road stops.
ABC Radio Adelaide listener Karen of Wingfield said: “I have told my kids if an unmarked car tries to pull them over, drive to a well-lit place like a service station and pull over there.”
But what are your legal responsibilities when you are directed to pull over?
“It is reasonable for you to [follow the direction] as long as you know that you can wait until it is safe to do so,” Chris Boundy, from the Legal Services Commission of SA, said.
He said police could only pull over a vehicle that appeared defective or if they believed the driver had or was committing a crime.
What can happen at a road stop?
Mr Boundy said it was important to remain calm and be cooperative.
“Remaining friendly and obliging is a good start to getting a quick and easy dialogue to find out why they pulled you over.”
He said every police officer was empowered under the road laws to ask a driver for identification.
“[The driver must provide] full name, the place where they are living and they may be required to name their place of business.”
Mr Boundy said if there was any doubt about the information supplied, the driver can be asked to produce a photographic ID — generally a driver’s licence.
“Under the road laws, they are entitled to ask who is the owner of the vehicle and to make sure they can identify who was driving the vehicle.”
Police can also give direction to or question all people in the vehicle, not just the driver, he added.
“If people refuse to answer questions and inhibit the police in identifying people, they can be fined.”