Automobile Consent Searches: The Driver's Options in a Lose-Lose Situation

"Do you mind if I take a quick look in the vehicle?" This is a question that countless Americans hear every day, but very few citizens understand the ramifications of their answer. How long can the officer keep me here? What if there is something in my car that I do not know about? Can I be arrested if I refuse the search?

This article will address the legal context surrounding consent searches of automobiles in order to provide some clarity to drivers and passengers that are put in this lose-lose situation.