Stopped by the police: what should the owner of a rented car do

When driving a vehicle, you must know and follow the rules of the road. If you have rented a car, this does not relieve you of the need to comply with traffic rules. Also, the driver must know what to do if he was stopped by the police in a rented car, how to respond to the actions of a law enforcement officer and what documents you need to have with you.

In what situations can the traffic police stop

There are 10 main legal reasons to stop.

1. A traffic violation has been committed.
2. The vehicle has clear signs of breakdown.
3. The police officer has information that the car, the driver or the passengers inside have become participants in some kind of offense.
4. Auto wanted.
5. Those in the car presumably have information regarding the accident or violation committed.
6. Other road users need the help of those in the car.
7. The cargo transported in the car is not properly secured and is dangerous to others.
8. Sound or light devices are installed on the machine without the appropriate permission.
9. The police officer has a decision to stop traffic on the specified section of the road or to restrict it.
10. The car is registered in another country and is being checked.

The last point mainly concerns cars with foreign registration. But if you rent a car from Narscars for trips around Ukraine, you can be sure that this reason for stopping will not affect you, because all our cars have Ukrainian registration.

It should be remembered that the police do not have the right to stop you for "document checks". Such a reason is not provided for by the legislation of Ukraine, which means that it is illegal.

Rights and duties of a police officer

The policeman stops the car with a wave of his baton or hand. He must first point to the car, and then to the place where the car must stop. The police officer must clearly state the reason for the stop and, in case of violation of traffic rules, provide evidence, namely:

• a photo;
• video filming;
• eyewitness accounts;
• other methods of presenting information.

In addition to the reason for the stop, the police officer must give his last name, position and special title, and, at the request of the driver, present his service certificate.

Rights and obligations of the driver

The driver, to whom a law enforcement officer has shown that it is necessary to stop by the movement of a baton or hand, must park his car in accordance with the traffic rules "Stop and Parking" and only in the place where stopping is not prohibited, namely:

• in a place specially designated for this purpose;
• in the absence of a specially designated place on the right side of the carriageway, as far to the right as possible. This will avoid creating obstacles for other road users.

If a police officer stops a driver due to a traffic violation, but does not provide evidence, he violates articles 254, 256 and 283 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. In this case, the driver can call another police crew and inform the prosecutor's office about the illegal actions of the police.

If the policeman after stopping does not name her reasons, you can safely go further, since he does not have the right to stop the vehicle for no apparent reason.

The driver of the rented car must provide the following documentation:

• driver license;
• documents for cars;
• insurance;
• lease contract.

Documents do not need to be handed over to the law enforcement officer, it is enough to show them, holding them in your hands.

No need to get out of the car, to communicate with the police and provide documents, just lower the window. There are just a few reasons why you might be asked to get out of your vehicle:

• to eliminate the technical malfunction of the car or the mistakes made during the transportation of goods;
• if the police officer has good reason to believe that you are drunk;
• when there is reasonable suspicion that you or your passengers have committed a crime;
• if you need to draw up documents or help another person.

If the reason for the stop is the suspicion that you are drunk, and you are sure that you are sober, do not panic and do not agree to the demand to “breathe”. It's illegal. You can only blow into a special device that has the appropriate certificate, but it is best to get the order guard to send you for a medical examination. It is the results of the blood test that are unambiguous evidence of the guilt or innocence of the driver.

Conclusions

If you decide to rent a car, remember that the algorithm of the actions of the owner of a rented car is no different from that which is recommended for drivers of their own vehicles. The main thing is to park correctly, clarify the reason for the stop and clearly follow the legal requirements of the policeman, while not forgetting about your rights and obligations.