After initiating a traffic stop, don’t sit in your patrol car while completing the citation. Instead, stand near the right (passenger side) rear corner of your vehicle. From here, you’ll have a good view of the violator’s car; you’ll also have your entire patrol car as cover if needed.
Frequently, when I’m standing in this location, the suspect will get out of his car and start walking back towards the driver’s side of my vehicle talking to me — in some cases yelling. After a few seconds he’ll realize that I’m not in the driver’s seat.
Another traffic stop tip: My department places a calendar in the rear window of our patrol car. This way, officers have a court calendar readily accessible and there’s no need to get back into the patrol car to check.