Can a police officer search my car in a routine traffic stop?
Typically, the answer is no. However, if you make the officer “reasonably suspect” that you are armed and dangerous or involved in criminal activity, he/she does have the right to request to search your vehicle. If the officer does see something suspicious, then the law allows him to do a “pat-down” search of you and of the passenger compartment of your car. He or she can also “frisk” (feels the outside of) any purses, bags or other things in the car that could hold a weapon.
Related Questions
- Can an officer stop a car for a traffic infraction when his or her real justification for doing so is a pretext to search for drugs or something else?
- Does a police officer have the right to search my car for a Highway Traffic Act violation?
- Can a police officer search my car in a routine traffic stop?
