It can be frightening to be pulled over by a police officer. Your mind may rush as the flashing lights reflect off your rearview mirror, and you might notice something strange: the officer is reaching out and touching the tail lights on your car. What makes them act in such way? Is this modest gesture intended to convey a deeper meaning? We’ll learn the intriguing explanations for why police officers usually touch the tail lights of the car during traffic stops in this post.

Documenting the contact is one of the most sensible reasons police touch your car’s tail lights. The fingerprint of the police is left on the car when they touch it. This small gesture could have a big impact later on if the interaction gets heated or becomes a fight.

That fingerprint functions as concrete proof that the officer was in fact present at the location, for example, in the event that a motorist speeds off or if concerns are raised over the officer’s behavior. It’s a rapid and simple method of adding accountability and authenticity to the exchange. This may seem unnecessary in the era of body cams, but it is a long-standing custom that has held up throughout time.