Analyzing Individual and Circumstantial Factors Influencing Drivers’ Likelihood of Getting Tickets After Traffic Stop Violations.

• In Event: The Role of Race and Circumstantial Factors in Police Encounters

Abstract

A body of scholarly work analyzing interactions between police officers and motor vehicle drivers has focused on the drivers’ demographic characteristics that influence their likelihood of getting stopped by the police. Limited research, however, has explored the factors that influence drivers’ likelihood of receiving a ticket after being stopped by the police for a traffic violation. The present study expands upon previous research by analyzing over 5,000 traffic stop cases from the “Police-Public Contact Survey, 2020” to explore individual, circumstantial, and police factors that influence drivers’ likelihood of getting a ticket after being stopped by the police for speeding, a records’ violation, improper lane change, and a stop sign/light violation. Results indicate that drivers’ race, age, income, criminal history, and manners to the stopping officer influence their likelihood of receiving a ticket for some violations, but not for others. Results also indicate that time of the day, officers’ gender, having the driver or vehicle searched, and being threatened by the police to be given a ticket also influence drivers’ likelihood of getting a ticket for some violations. Implications for policy, research, and practice are discussed.

Authors

• L. Sergio Garduno, Prairie View A&M University

• Serita Whiting, Prairie View A&M University

• Myrna Cintron, Prairie View A&M University