Speeding is only one of many reasons you might see flashing lights in your rearview mirror. Officers routinely rely on other traffic and equipment violations to justify a stop, even when you are under the limit. Understanding these 10 common triggers can help you spot problems on your own car, recognize pretextual stops, and make more informed choices if you are pulled over.
1) Broken Taillight or Brake Light
Broken taillights and brake lights are classic reasons officers pull drivers over even when speed is not an issue. A 2019 incident in Ferguson, Missouri, involving Michael Brown was described in a U.S. Department of Justice report as beginning with a stop for a non-functional taillight, illustrating how minor equipment issues can escalate. In some jurisdictions, She has explained that legislation allows officers to stop a vehicle for a broken light but only to issue a written or verbal warning, not a citation.
Even with such limits, the stop itself still gives officers an opportunity to ask questions, look for signs of impairment, or run your license. Separate reporting on Nevada traffic rules notes that legislation prevents officers from citing drivers solely for a broken light or expired registration, but it does not bar the initial contact. For you, the stakes are clear, because a cheap bulb or cracked lens can become the legal doorway to a much broader roadside encounter.
2) Expired or Invalid Vehicle Registration
Expired or invalid registration is another frequent basis for a stop when you are driving at a reasonable speed. Data from the Stanford Open Policing Project show that in the states it analyzed, more than 20 percent of traffic stops cited registration issues, underscoring how often officers use tags as a pretext. Even a single lapsed month on your sticker or a plate that does not match the vehicle can give an officer lawful grounds to pull you over and start asking questions.
Some states, including Nevada, have moved to limit penalties by specifying that officers may not issue citations solely for expired registration, but they still allow the stop itself. That distinction matters, because once you are pulled over, an officer can check for warrants, insurance, or signs of impairment that go far beyond the original tag issue. Keeping your registration current and your plates clearly visible is one of the simplest ways to reduce your exposure to these pretextual encounters.
3) Tinted Windows Violating State Laws
Tinted windows that are darker than state law allows can also trigger a stop even when your speed and lane position are perfect. In California, for example, the vehicle code requires front side windows to allow at least 70 percent of light to pass through, and the state’s registration manual explains that tinting rules are enforced at the roadside. If an officer believes your aftermarket film is too dark, that alone can justify pulling you over to measure the tint and verify your documents.
Civil liberties advocates have linked these stops to broader expansions of stop-and-frisk authority that trace back to Terry v. Ohio, arguing that vague equipment standards can be used disproportionately. For drivers, the risk is that a cosmetic modification becomes the legal hook for questioning, searches, or field sobriety tests that have nothing to do with window film. Checking your tint percentage before installing it, and keeping receipts that show compliance, can help you contest an improper citation later.
4) Failure to Wear Seatbelt
Failure to wear a seatbelt is another reason officers can stop you even when you are obeying the speed limit. According to NHTSA 2022 data, 35 states have primary enforcement laws that allow officers to pull you over solely for not buckling up, and 3,558 fatalities were linked to unbelted occupants. That combination of legal authority and grim statistics makes seatbelt enforcement a priority, especially on highways and during targeted safety campaigns.
Because the violation is visible from outside the car, officers can spot it while driving alongside you or watching traffic from a median. Once you are stopped, the interaction can expand to license checks, sobriety assessments, or questions about where you are headed, even though the original issue was a missing click. For you, the stakes are both safety and civil exposure, since a simple habit of buckling up removes one of the easiest pretexts for a stop.
5) Using a Cell Phone While Driving
Using a cell phone while driving, especially holding it to your ear or looking down to text, is now a standalone reason for a traffic stop in many states. Hands-free laws in 27 states allow officers to pull you over if they see a device in your hand, and a 2023 study by the IIHS on distracted driving linked 3,142 deaths to distraction. That legal framework means an officer does not need to clock your speed if your eyes and hands are clearly on your phone instead of the road.
Drivers often underestimate how visible this behavior is from a patrol car, especially in stop-and-go traffic. One Austin commuter described being stopped for phone use and noted that officers also cited tailgating, repeated lane changes, and failure to signal as problems in the same corridor, writing that “Also tailgating, switching lanes repeatedly in stop & go traffic, failure to use turn signal” were rampant. For you, using built-in Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, or Android Auto is not just a convenience, it is a way to avoid a stop that can quickly escalate.
6) Faulty Turn Signal or Failure to Signal
A faulty turn signal or failure to signal at all is another low-level violation that regularly leads to stops. Safety guidance from the NTSB has emphasized that proper signaling before lane changes and turns is critical to preventing side-swipe and rear-end crashes, so officers are trained to watch for it. If your blinker is burned out, blinking rapidly, or not used when you merge, an officer has a clear statutory reason to pull you over even if your speed and lane position are otherwise lawful.
Legal guides on traffic stops explain that Not having the brake lights or headlights working properly is a common basis for a stop because vehicles are required by law to be equipped with functioning signals and lamps. Once you are on the shoulder, that simple equipment issue can open the door to broader questioning, consent searches, or sobriety checks. Regularly checking your blinkers and using them consistently is a small habit that can significantly reduce your chances of an unexpected roadside encounter.
7) Swerving Within Lane Indicating Impairment
Swerving within your lane, even without crossing the line or exceeding the speed limit, can draw an officer’s attention as a possible sign of impairment. Advocacy groups like MADD report that 10,850 alcohol-related fatalities occurred in 2022, a figure that keeps pressure on officers to intervene early when they see erratic driving. Slight weaving, delayed reactions to traffic lights, or inconsistent speed can all prompt a welfare check stop intended to rule out drunk or drowsy driving.
At the same time, Courts have held that officers may not pull someone over for a single minor drift unless the driving pattern suggests danger or lack of control. That legal standard tries to balance public safety with protection against arbitrary stops, but in practice, officers have wide discretion to describe what they saw. For you, maintaining a steady lane position and avoiding distractions is not only safer, it also limits the subjective grounds an officer can cite for initiating contact.
8) Illegal U-Turn or Traffic Maneuver
Illegal U-turns and other prohibited maneuvers are straightforward reasons for a stop, regardless of how fast you are going. The Texas Transportation Code Section 545.102 explicitly bars U-turns where signs prohibit them or where visibility is limited, and similar rules exist in many states. If you spin around in a no-U-turn zone to avoid congestion or a missed exit, an officer who sees it has immediate, clearly documented grounds to pull you over.
Local enforcement reports from Houston PD in 2020 highlighted how officers use these violations to target dangerous intersections where sudden turns can cause crashes. Even when no collision occurs, the maneuver itself can justify a stop that leads to checks for insurance, registration, or outstanding warrants. Planning your route with navigation apps and waiting for legal turn options can save you from a ticket and from the broader scrutiny that often follows an impulsive U-turn.
9) Non-Working Headlights or High Beams
Non-working headlights or improper use of high beams are frequent triggers for nighttime stops that have nothing to do with speed. Federal FMVSS 108 standards require vehicles to have functioning headlamps, tail lamps, and reflectors, and a 2018 AAA study found that about 25 percent of vehicles on the road had some form of lighting defect. Driving with one headlight out, no lights at dusk, or high beams that blind oncoming traffic gives officers a clear safety rationale to pull you over.
Legal practitioners note that Not having the brake lights or headlights working properly is enough to justify a stop because state codes treat lighting as essential equipment, not cosmetic extras. For you, the implications go beyond a fix-it ticket, because a nighttime stop often involves closer observation for alcohol, drugs, or fatigue. Regularly checking your lights against a garage door or reflective surface, and replacing bulbs promptly, can help you avoid that late-night conversation on the shoulder.
10) Loud or Modified Exhaust System
Loud or modified exhaust systems are another non-speeding issue that can quickly attract police attention. New York’s Vehicle and Traffic Law Section 375(35) prohibits exhausts that are “excessive or unusual” in noise, a standard that many local ordinances echo. If your aftermarket muffler on a Subaru WRX or Ford Mustang roars through a quiet neighborhood, an officer can use that noise violation as the legal basis for a stop.
Environmental regulators have also flagged loud exhausts as contributors to urban noise pollution, and a 2021 EPA summary described how some cities are stepping up enforcement with sound meters and targeted patrols. For drivers, the risk is that a modification installed for performance or style becomes a magnet for repeated stops, inspections, and fines. Choosing parts that are explicitly labeled as street legal, and keeping documentation in your glove box, can reduce disputes at the roadside over how loud is too loud.
Supporting sources: Unexpected Traffic Stop Reasons You Should Know.
More from Wilder Media Group: