The problem with that strategy is that most officers (in the US at least) will already know that they can impound your vehicle on the suspicion of a DUI.
If they even think that they smell weed or alcohol on you, or in your vehicle, then they can impound your vehicle if you do not consent to a search. (In most states, if not all 50)

Smoking weed while driving is a DUI offense.

If you refuse the search, all they have to do is call you in as a potential DUI, and then you're screwed.
You're going to the shop for immediate blood and urine based alcohol and drug testing.
When that happens, if you have been smoking, than all I can say is good luck with getting your license back.


So when your vehicle goes down the the cop shop because you refused to allow a search... then you're really fucked.
Especially if they actually find something in your car.

If your vehicle is impounded, then don't expect it back in one piece either.

I know several people who had their cars impounded when they refused to give consent for a search. They got their cars back missing bolts in the front seats, and a nice big cut down the center of the back seat. Any and all damage done to your car by a police search will most likely be overlooked by 95% of all judges. The 5% are the people who had nothing in their vehicle in the first place.

If they want to find something in your car, they will find something. This includes vacuuming the carpet and charging you with the possession of some very small amount of dusty, oil stained weed dust from the last joint you rolled, or bowl you packed in your car. Thats all it takes.

Its a catch 22.

There is no way out if you get asked to consent for a search of your vehicle. You're better off letting them find whatever they will find on the side of the road, rather than in the cop shop. Unless of course you get lucky find a more lenient officer that will not insist on a vehicle search.

Sometimes they dont find anything when they're stuffed on frosted donuts, and they're climbing around your messy car searching around with just a flashlight.


So all in all... let them search your car on the side of the road where they stopped you, chances are if they dont find anything right away, you will just get a ticket for whatever you were stopped for, and then they'll let you go.


From my experience, If they don't find anything when they quickly search you and your vehicle on the side of the road, you have about a 75% chance of getting out of the traffic ticket as well.

I had been pulled over several years ago and was busted for possession of a small amount of marijuana. Up until a couple years ago, that minor offense was still listed on my driving record. So every time I have been stopped while that was on my record, I was asked to consent to a search. This was up until a couple years ago when that offense had finally been cleared from my driving record.

They never found anything in my car ever again. Mainly because I left the back seat dirty and purposely leave some trash on the floor at times. I always kept my stash in the back seat of my car, covered with an old Mc'Donalds bag or something. All 4 times, I was sweating balls, because I thought for sure they would find it. 4 times my car was quickly searched... unsuccessfully.


After they would finish their search I would simply say to the officer...
"See ? Can I go now ?"

Most of the time they are rather embarrassed to have searched your car and come up emtpy handed, so maybe they will let whatever traffic violation you had slide by too. The one time I did still get a ticket, I was doing 20 mph over the limit. All the other times were for speeding at 10mph over the limit or less.


Be reasonable with them, and you may just get lucky. Even if they find something, since you cooperated with them, you have a much better chance at getting reduced sentencing if you are found guilty. Possibly even letting multiple charges slide for a conviction on some other offense.

At least you can ask the judge, and still have *some chance* at making it happen. If you didn't cooperate at all, and you were a dick about it, then dont even ask the judge, because you're fucked.

Give them a reason to screw you, and they will, and they'll do it with a smile on their faces too.
Firebloom Reviewed by Firebloom on . Why give cops the go ahead. Well, It saturday night and my woman just loves watching COPS. It never falls they pull someone over then ask if they can search them. They always say go ahead. Cops find drugs then suspect says I didn't know it was there. Why are people stupid enough to consent to a warrentless search? Loco Rating: 5