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What to Do When You’re Stopped By the DOT

There can be any number of reasons that a Department of Transportation (DOT) officer might pull you over for an inspection. Perhaps you have a brake lamp out on the truck, or the officer noticed you were driving erratically, or it could just be a random stop.

Whatever the reason for getting pulled over, you’ll likely experience that feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach. Will the officer give me a hard time? Will he uncover something I missed in my pre-trip inspection? Will I get hit with a huge fine (that I can’t afford)?  

But getting stopped for an inspection doesn’t always have to be a high-stress situation, if you’re prepared.

How can you ensure your next inspection goes as smoothly as possible?

EO spoke with veteran drivers Linda Caffee, an expedite owner-operator with FedEx Custom Critical, and Henry Albert, a truckload driver with his own authority with Albert Transport Inc., to get their advice. They shared these four tips.


1. Maintain a positive attitude.

“I think the Number One thing is to be courteous,” says Caffee. “I don’t care how the officer acts. You, as the professional driver, must stay courteous. Even if you have a bad day, if you say a bad word to him, you’re going to have an even worse day.”

One way to keep the right attitude is to put yourself in the officer’s position, Albert advises.

“The officers are just doing their job. And the more I can help them get their job done in an efficient manner, the better for all of us,” he says. “So, I don’t start out with wisecracks. Instead, I often mention to the officers that I’m glad they’re there because, without them, there would be a lot of junk running up and down the road.”

According to Caffee, getting pulled over for an inspection may actually be a good thing -- assuming you pass.

“Every time you have a Level 1 inspection and it’s clear, that helps your company’s CSA score,” says Caffee. “Your company wants you to get these inspections. The more positive, the better. Some companies are offering cash bonuses or will drop your name in a sweepstakes to win a truck, if you have a clean CSA score.”

(To learn more about what’s involved with each of the seven North American Standard Inspection Levels, Click Here)


2. Keep your seatbelt (and glasses) on.

“When you’re pulled over, do not take your seat belt off until the officer gets to you,” advises Caffee.

Why?

“In a commercial vehicle, you have to wear your seatbelt, and if your seatbelt is not on when the officer gets to you, he or she could say you didn’t have it on, and you get cited for it. You want the officer to acknowledge you have it on before you take it off.”

The same goes if you wear eyeglasses for driving.

“If you use glasses for long distance vision, and your drivers license says that you wear glasses, keep them on,” says Caffee. “And when you get out of the truck during the inspection, bring your glasses with you. You want to prove to the officers that you always drive with your glasses.”


3. Store all essential documentation within easy reach, at all times.

“Have your drivers license and medical card within hands reach,” says Caffee. “It’s really important with the medical card because, by law, it has to be on your person. So, when you get out of the truck with the officer to walk around the truck, keep the medical card with you. Otherwise, you could get to the back of the truck and the officer says, ‘I want to see your medical card.’ And if you reply, ‘I have to get it from the truck,’ you’ll get a violation for that. Just keep your medical card with you until you’re done with the inspection.”

Why is it important to keep documents within hands reach?

“You have to be able to reach and hand over documents from the driver’s seat with your seatbelt on,” says Caffee.

Albert says that being organized with your documentation helps make the officer’s job easier, which can put you (and your truck) in a more positive light in the eyes of the officer.

“Have all your documents ready, in an orderly manner, with your log book up to date and all your cards in a nice file system that you can easily hand over to the officer,” says Albert. “If you keep your paperwork in order, so officers don’t have to search and sort to find the documents they’re looking for, the more appreciative they will be toward you.”


4. Be Honest

In the heat of the moment, resist the temptation to stretch the truth. It will hurt your credibility with the officer and put your truck under greater scrutiny.

“Suppose you have a light that went out, but it was working ok during your pre-trip inspection,” says Caffee. “If everything else on the truck looks fine, and you tell the officer that the light was on for your pre-trip, the officer will be more likely to believe you. But if you say, ‘That light was working when I left,’ and your tires are bald, the officer is going to be much more skeptical, asking, ‘Did you ever pre-trip your tires?’”

(Click Here for an example of a pre-trip truck safety inspection checklist.)

Caffee continues: “If you didn’t do your pre-trip inspection, it’s probably best that you keep your mouth shut.”