Law-enforcement officers; required to pull vehicle off roadway when stopping motorists. (HB1035)
Introduced By
Del. Jeff Frederick (R-Woodbridge)
Progress
✓ |
Introduced |
✗ |
Passed Committee |
☐ |
Passed House |
☐ |
Passed Senate |
☐ |
Signed by Governor |
☐ |
Became Law |
Description
Law-enforcement officers stopping vehicles. Requires that when law-enforcement officers pull over motorists, the law-enforcement officers, whenever practicable, pull their vehicles off the roadway before stopping. Read the Bill »
Outcome
Bill Has Failed
History
Date | Action |
---|---|
01/08/2008 | Committee |
01/08/2008 | Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 080786508 |
01/08/2008 | Referred to Committee on Transportation |
01/24/2008 | Referred from Transportation |
01/24/2008 | Referred to Committee on Militia, Police and Public Safety |
02/12/2008 | Left in Militia, Police and Public Safety |
Comments
No disrespect intended for the author of the bill, but it was clearly written by somebody who has no concept of the dynamics of a traffic stop. The officer decides when and where to activate his emergency lights; the violator decides when and where to stop.
Also, many times when you see an officer stopped behind a vehicle in an unusual location, there are several possible reasons for it:
1. Motorist out of gas
2. Vehicle is otherwise disabled
3. Motorist having non-mechanical emergency
4. Drunk driver
This seems fairly sensible. It's more common sense than anything else. obviously a police officer knows that flashing lights and a siren on a marked cruiser won't stop someone from rear-ending him during a stop - so I would imagine most would move thier vehicles as much as possible anyway.