Buffalo Ledger

Senator Patrick M. Gallivan, alongside community leaders, has announced a public information initiative aimed at educating drivers on proper procedures during police stops. The effort includes a brochure developed in collaboration with law enforcement, legal experts, driving instructors, and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The brochure outlines drivers' rights and responsibilities and offers best practices to ensure safe traffic stops. It will be distributed to schools, libraries, and community centers throughout Senator Gallivan’s district. Additionally, it is available on Senator Gallivan’s website (gallivan.nysenate.gov) and will be accessible to Senate offices statewide.

“As a former State Trooper and Sheriff of Erie County, I conducted numerous traffic stops during my career,” Senator Gallivan said. “Unfortunately, there is always the potential for these interactions to become dangerous, often because of a misunderstanding or inappropriate behavior. All drivers, but especially young drivers, will benefit from this information and I thank everyone here today who support this effort.”

Senator Gallivan is co-sponsoring legislation (S.2426) that would require driver's education and defensive driving classes to include information on proper procedures when stopped by law enforcement officers as part of their curriculum. The bill has bipartisan support in the New York State Senate and is endorsed by the Police Conference of New York Inc. and the New York State Troopers PBA.

"Being pulled over can be a stressful experience,” said Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns. “No one is ever ready for those flashing lights and sirens that pop up behind you as you are cruising down the road or highway to work or while you're on a road trip with your family in the car. While you may think being pulled over is not warranted, you cannot let your emotions get the best of you. I encourage all motorists, new and experienced, to review this informative brochure, to drive safely and responsibly, follow all traffic laws, be respectful, stay calm, and comply with all requests from law enforcement in order to avoid you being detained or even arrested for any uncooperative actions."

"There is always uncertainty when initiating a traffic stop, and we understand it can be a stressful situation for the operator of a motor vehicle,” said Sheriff John Garcia. “Our deputies appreciate cooperation as we work to uphold our mission to provide quality public safety services. I thank and commend former Sheriff Gallivan for providing drivers with this crucial information."

"As a young driver who led this effort with Senator Gallivan," student policy intern Evan Doerr stated he was "grateful to everyone who made this initiative possible.” He added that expanding driver education would improve safety for law enforcement officers while providing peace of mind for drivers.

"This work takes the informal knowledge that we hope our new drivers might have and makes it formal by outlining three key things for all of us to keep in mind when we have an interaction with our community's police officers,” said Hamburg School Superintendent Michael Cornell. “As a teacher and a father," he expressed gratitude "for Senator Gallivan and Evan Doerr for their work in bringing these important suggestions forward in this way."

“AAA applauds Senator Gallivan for proactively providing important and relevant information to drivers on how to handle traffic stops," said Elizabeth Carey from AAA Western and Central New York. She emphasized that AAA supports efforts ensuring today's drivers are prepared for any scenario.