The reality of traffic stops is more complex than the intention of the measure. While the basic premise is that police can pull you over to briefly investigate a possible infringement or traffic violation, they can often lead to much different outcomes. Recently, tragic fatalities related to traffic stop evasions have led lawmakers in a state on the East Coast to consider a new bill that would change the nature of traffic stops.
From traffic stops to tragic losses
Traffic stops have come into focus in recent weeks as the deaths of two women and a toddler have rocked communities. Getting pulled over seems innocuous on the surface, as police need ways to investigate potentially criminal activity, such as transporting drugs or driving stolen vehicles, but the reality has become grim.
Drivers with minor traffic infringements could soon be relieved, as getting pulled over for smaller issues could become a thing of the past. A new bill could bar police officers from pulling drivers over for minor infractions. This is in reaction to the tragic losses over the past four weeks, including a small child and a mother of four.
The bill has been put forward to the general assembly in Annapolis in the east coast state of Maryland, which would protect drivers while putting police activity under the microscope. Each of the aforementioned deaths has been attributed to drivers fleeing from traffic stops, an issue that lawmakers hope the bill could solve.
Lives lost in Maryland
The first incident took place on February 28th, when Esmeralda Montoya-Perez tragically lost her life while waiting for a bus when she was struck by a driver fleeing from police. A week later, three-year-old Zoey Harrison was involved in a crash while driving with her mother when their vehicle was hit by another driver on the run.
Harrison’s crash involved a driver who was pulled over for missing tags. Zoey’s mother, Nishia Robinson, blamed both the driver and the police, stating that she “wants that driver to get life,” but that the “[police] should be held accountable.”
On Friday, 21 March, a third incident led to a violent crash that claimed the life of Patricia Riddick, who was driving with her daughter (who suffered injuries in the incident). The mother of four was hit by a black Genesis, which slammed into her SUV at the intersection of Martin Luther King Highway and Belle Haven Drive.
Are some traffic stops unnecessary?
The big question is whether the traffic stops that caused the drivers to flee were necessary in the first place. The drivers who caused the tragic accidents should be punished, and the state attorney in Maryland is set to decide how harshly they will be punished.
Senate Bill 292 at the Maryland General Assembly is being fought as a way to decrease racial discrimination, which has long been an issue that has affected how police officers execute traffic stops. Lawmakers have also suggested that the bills will protect police officers, who risk their lives in high-speed pursuits.
Unsurprisingly to many, the bill has faced criticism from law enforcement, including the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, which posted a video on Facebook expressing their intense opposition to the bill. Their criticism emphasized that the infractions in question should not be considered secondary offenses.
There haven’t been any updates as to the progress of Senate Bill 292, as it is still being discussed by the Maryland General Assembly. Some of the logic of the bill holds up, in that it could protect drivers from racial discrimination and stop cops from engaging in unnecessary and dangerous high-speed chases. However, there are no guarantees that the bill would fully solve those issues.