Q: Do I have the rights to get out of my car if I think it's on fire, while a cop has me stopped for speeding?
I got stopped for speeding and my car started smoking and I got out to check to see if my car was on fire or if it was just steaming, the officer was in his car running my licenses and writing a ticket.
A: The question posed sounds like you got in trouble for exiting your car during a traffic stop. However, your facts leave too much for interpretation. In short, if your car is on fire, you are not required to sit in it and burn to death, nor would any law enforcement officer expect you to. On the other side, you have to understand that the officer is expecting you to follow a course of action (as in staying in your car during the traffic stop) and he can reasonably expect you to do that for your safety and the safety of the officer. If you received an additional citation for your actions and you feel that was not justifiable, then contact an attorney that specializes in citations and give them all the details of the interaction.
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