When cops tell you, "Step out of the vehicle, sir," here's what they're really doing. So, when a police officer tells you to step out of the car, he might be doing this for a multitude of reasons. One reason is he wants to see how you perform when you get out and you get on your feet. He wants to see if you stumble while you walk. He's looking for evidence of particularly a DUI investigation in most cases. There are some occasions where they're not investigating DUI and they ask you to step out of the car because the case law in America says that a police officer is entitled to ask you to step out of the car. He's also entitled to make you stay in the car. He can do either one at his discretion based upon officer safety. So don't fight with him. Don't leave your door open when you step out of the car. That just gives him access to see more and discover evidence in what he calls plain view. If he asks you to step out of the vehicle, just step out safely. Shut the door behind you and follow his instructions.