State Senator: Want a Drivers License in NJ? Learn About Cops and Traffic Stops

A State Senator in New Jersey is sponsoring legislation that would make the Motor Vehicle Commission inform and test drivers on their responsibilities when interacting with a police officer during a traffic stop.

When you take a test to get a drivers license in New Jersey currently, you are asked about the rules of the road and how to drive safety. But the state doesn't require you to know anything about what to do when you get pulled over.

A bill sponsored by State Senator Robert Singer would add a question to the drivers license exam that deals with a driver's responsibilities during a traffic stop. The state's drivers manual would also be expanded to include steps a driver must take when they're stopped, including things like where to stop and how to properly interact with a police officer.

In a statement, Singer 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. 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."

The bill has been advanced by the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee.

SOURCE: senatenj.com