Northam Could Make It Harder For Officers To Pull Over Drivers

Legislation is headed to Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s desk that proponents say will reduce police targeting of Black drivers with unwarranted traffic stops and vehicle searches. The legislation bars police from stopping drivers for a wide range of vehicle equipment violations, including tinted windows and faulty brake lights, to loud mufflers an objects dangling from rear view mirrors. The measure prevents cops from pulling drivers over for having expired vehicle safety inspections stickers and would also make it illegal to pull drivers over to search a car without a warrant based on the officers smell and possible detection of marijuana coming from the vehicle.