I'm guessing you're American. It saddens me that so many of you over there seem to have this view of your own government and institutions.
Anecdote time. Having been stopped by police in the States four times (that I can recall offhand) over the years -- with a legitimate justification in each case -- my experience has been that courtesy and cooperation have served me well. On a couple of occasions when I could quite reasonably have been ticketed and fined, I have instead been sent on my way with a friendly warning to be more careful. I strongly suspect taking a strict "don't talk to the police" line would have cost me quite a bit more stress, time, and money.
As a general rule, if your sole interaction with the police is traffic enforcement (and it helps if you are white), then being courteous and honest is generally the most successful strategy. Anecdotally, aside from a few newsworthy examples, almost every traffic situation that escalates into a significant confrontation got that way because of unnecessary belligerence.
When "never talk to police" comes into play is when they are doing a criminal investigation. And even then, when to pull out the fifth amendment card depends on individual circumstances. It can definitely escalate an otherwise innocuous situation if you overuse it.
Also, try to remember that what makes the news is newsworthy for a reason.
Anecdote time. Having been stopped by police in the States four times (that I can recall offhand) over the years -- with a legitimate justification in each case -- my experience has been that courtesy and cooperation have served me well. On a couple of occasions when I could quite reasonably have been ticketed and fined, I have instead been sent on my way with a friendly warning to be more careful. I strongly suspect taking a strict "don't talk to the police" line would have cost me quite a bit more stress, time, and money.