Lila Epstein ’10
Editor in Chief

The flashing lights. The blaring sirens. These sounds of a police car are sounds that many people dread. Many Staples students have been pulled over and consider it a very negative experience.

“I was very intimidated while being pulled over by the police,” Molly Laux ’10 said. Hannah Bjornson ’11 agrees saying that getting pulled over was “very traumatizing.”

Luckily, both of these drivers were able to leave without recieving a ticket.

“I was lucky enough to get off with only a warning,” Laux said.

When Bjornson was pulled over, she was not yet a licensed driver and was driving with her permit while her father was in the car with her.

“I ran an orange light, it really was,” Bjornson said. The policewoman asked if she knew the rules about yellow lights, but did not give her a ticket.

Jake Yarmoff ’10 was also pulled over because his registration was expired. He said that the officer calmly explained to him that he needed to renew his registration and that he should notify his parents. Although he was not in trouble, Yarmoff agrees that the experience was unsettling.

“I freaked out, but luckily I had a friend in the car, and he calmed me down because I knew I wasn’t speeding,” Yarmoff said.

Although getting pulled over can be a nerve-wracking experience, Sergeant Sereniti Dobson of the Westport Police Department suggests that the driver should “remain calm.”

“The Operator should stay in the vehicle and keep their hands on the steering wheel as opposed to reaching for the glove box to get your registration and insurance card,” Dobson said.  “Be polite and honest, and allow the officer to conduct his motor vehicle stop.”

According to Dobson, students who are designated driving and have intoxicated passengers while they are sober cannot be penalized. However, the police department would call an ambulance and the parents of the passengers who were drinking underage.

Also, it is important for drivers to know their rights regarding when a policeman can search their cars. A policeman needs a probable cause to search a car, unless they already have proof of criminal activity.

“If a crime has been committed, and the officer feels there is contraband in the vehicle, you can search,” Dobson said.

Also, the police can search if they are given consent by the driver, and they can use contraband that is in plain view as evidence.

If the policeman finds alcoholic beverages inside the car, this is considered a crime even if the beverage is unopened.

“That would constitute possession of alcohol by a minor; which is a mail in infraction,” Dobson said.

The most important thing for students to keep in mind is to display good behavior and be aware of the driving laws. This will make the “traumatic” experience of being pulled over much less stressful.