The NJ Motor Vehicles Commission would be required to inform and test drivers on their responsibilities during police stops under legislation sponsored by Senator Robert Singer and advanced by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee.

“Sadly, we have already seen too many examples of how a routine traffic stop can turn into a deadly encounter in a matter of minutes,” Senator Singer (R-Monmouth, Ocean) said. “It is critical for us to hold law enforcement officers accountable for safely interacting with the public, but there are simple steps that drivers can also take to prevent a police stop from escalating into a dangerous situation.”

S-2501 would require the Motor Vehicle Commission to inform and test drivers on their responsibilities when interacting with a law enforcement officer during a traffic stop. The current drivers license examination would be expanded to include a question regarding responsibilities during a traffic stop.

The Chief Administrator of the MVC would be required to include in the driver’s manual information advising drivers of the following steps they must take during a police stop:

•Pull to the far right side of the road
•Turn off the motor vehicle’s engine and radio
•Avoid sudden movements, and keep the driver’s hands in plain view of the officer.
•In addition, the Chief Administrator would have discretion to include additional information about a driver’s responsibilities.

“Expanding the driver’s license exam to test proper procedures for police stops is the most direct way to provide all new drivers with this potentially lifesaving education,” Senator Singer said. “This will also reduce a lot of the uncertainty and miscommunications that make a routine stop even more stressful. I am hopeful that we can get this enacted as soon as possible.”