While cars are still equated with freedom of mobility and personal liberty, they've also offered courts the chance to expand police powers in the public realm, time and time again.
Sarah A Seo, author of Policing the Open Road, writes for The Atlantic on the implications raised by police powers over motorists traveling the public realm in their vehicles.
Seo describes the fundamental conflict under study in this article thusly:
Officers’ power is fundamentally at odds with the notion of freedom on the open road. In American culture, driving is an expression of personal liberty. But under the law, driving is a privilege, not a right, and drivers are subject to extensive police surveillance.
It's a paradox, according to Seo, and one that the justice system continues to wrestle with, but largely doesn't interfere with the advancement of police power. The Supreme Court recently "punted" on a decision, according to Seao, in the case Mitchell v. Wisconsin, deferring to police discretion. It was hardly the first court to do so, according to Seo: "Even as Americans have built a society around cars, judges have abdicated their role of limiting law enforcement’s power over people’s daily lives."
Seo is not advocating that the state relinquish regulatory control over the safe and legal operation of motor vehicles when so many lives are at stake, but writes to raise the question of how many regulatory strings are too many.
FULL STORY: On the Road, Police Power Has Few Limits
Zero Traffic Deaths Isn't as Far Fetched as It Sounds
Even supporters of Vision Zero—a goal to eliminate traffic fatalities from roadways adopted by cities and states all over the United States—doubt that such lofty ambitions are possible. But there are plenty of reasons to believe in the cause.
Zero to Deadly: How More Powerful Cars Endanger Lives
With cars accelerating more quickly, drivers have less time to react and can pose more danger to pedestrians.
Jaywalking Up for Decriminalization in Denver
Like other city and state leaders, Denver’s city council will weigh a proposal to decriminalize jaywalking in an effort to reduce interactions with law enforcement and improve transportation equity.
The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.
Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.
Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.
U.S. Transit Agencies Face a Financial Crisis
Transit providers around the country are scrambling to find new sources of revenue to replace lagging ridership and reorienting their systems to a future less dependent on daily commuters.
California Rejects Six-State Colorado River Plan, Proposes Its Own
State officials claim a proposal agreed upon by the other six states using Colorado River water disproportionately impacts California farmers.
Washington Focuses Road Safety Efforts on Individuals, Neglecting Design
Legislative efforts to reduce traffic deaths could move the needle toward Vision Zero, but state leaders failed to commit infrastructure funds to making structural improvements.
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