NJ cops could lose power to pull drivers over for these common violations

🚔 The ACLU says NJ cops waste time on broken taillights and tinted windows instead of dangerous drivers
⚖️ Critics warn limiting traffic stops could make it harder for police to catch guns, drugs and fugitives
📊 ACLU data claims Black drivers in NJ are stopped and searched at disproportionately higher rates during non-safety stops

NJ traffic stop reform debate sparks battle over policing and public safety

The ACLU of New Jersey is pushing lawmakers to dramatically scale back what are known as “non-safety” traffic stops in New Jersey, igniting a fierce debate over policing, racial profiling and public safety.

The proposal would limit police officers from pulling drivers over for minor technical violations such as broken taillights, tinted windows, cracked windshields or expired inspections unless the issue presents an immediate danger on the road.

Supporters argue those stops do little to improve highway safety while disproportionately targeting minority drivers. Critics counter that so-called routine traffic stops often lead police to uncover illegal guns, drugs, fugitives and impaired drivers.

In a recent commentary published by New Jersey Monitor, ACLU-NJ Policy Fellow Lauren Aung argued New Jersey’s traffic code is so broad “many, if not most, drivers are likely to break the law on any given trip.”

“Everyone deserves to feel and be safe when they drive,” Aung wrote, adding that non-safety stops are “a significant source of over-policing in Black and brown communities.”

ACLU says NJ traffic stops create racial disparities

The civil liberties group recently released a report analyzing more than six million traffic stops conducted in New Jersey between 2009 and 2021. According to the ACLU, Black drivers accounted for 18.8% of all stops despite making up just 8.2% of New Jersey drivers. The organization also said Black motorists represented 36.5% of vehicle searches statewide.

The ACLU argues many of these stops are “pretextual,” where officers use minor infractions as justification to investigate unrelated criminal activity.

Aung wrote that these encounters “can lead to high-pressure and violent interactions with officers over trivial infractions that are inconsequential to road safety.”

The organization also claims these stops divert officers away from targeting the behaviors most likely to cause fatal crashes, including speeding, reckless driving and drunk driving.

According to ACLU data, equipment violations involving lights, mirrors, windows or windshields contributed to just 0.38% of fatal crashes in New Jersey from 2010 through 2023.

Critics warn reduced traffic enforcement could hurt crime fighting

Opponents of limiting traffic stops argue the proposal could handcuff police officers and reduce proactive policing tools commonly used to intercept criminals.

Law enforcement advocates have long maintained that seemingly minor stops frequently uncover illegal weapons, narcotics, suspended drivers and people wanted on outstanding warrants.

Critics also warn reducing discretionary stops may weaken overall traffic enforcement and embolden drivers to ignore vehicle regulations already widely disregarded across New Jersey roads.

Some police officials have argued that broken lights, obstructed windows and expired documents can still create legitimate public safety concerns, especially during nighttime driving or emergency situations.

The debate comes as New Jersey continues grappling with broader questions surrounding criminal justice reform and police accountability following years of scrutiny over racial disparities in law enforcement.

What changes could happen to NJ traffic enforcement?

The ACLU is urging lawmakers to modernize New Jersey’s traffic code so officers can stop drivers only for violations posing an “immediate, direct threat” to public safety.

Supporters point to reforms adopted in several other states and cities where police departments shifted focus toward dangerous driving behaviors rather than technical infractions.

“In a constitutional democracy, law enforcement should not be able to conduct arbitrary stops,” Emily Reina Dindial of the ACLU’s Justice Division said in the group’s report.

Whether New Jersey lawmakers embrace the proposal remains to be seen. No legislation enacting any of the ACLU's proposed changes has been sponsored or filed as of the publishing of this article.

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