Safer Traffic Stops, LLC is a family-owned and operated corporation founded by Susan Pope. As a Black mother, Susan felt compelled to develop a product to ensure her children could keep their hands visible and on the wheel during traffic stops.
Having given “The Talk” to her kids, she understood the importance of keeping their hands in sight but recognized the challenge of retrieving driving documents scattered in different places. This led to the creation of the patented Safer Traffic Stops case, designed to make traffic stops safer and calmer for everyone.
In this interview, Susan goes into more detail about what inspired the creation of the Safer Traffic Stops case and how it can be used to improve safety during traffic stops.
What inspired the creation of the Safer Traffic Stops case?
As a mother the moment my kids began to drive, I was concerned not only with basic driving safety but also about them getting pulled over by police. Of course, we gave them “The Talk” regarding what to do and not to do if pulled over by police i.e., always keep your hands on the steering wheel, be polite when answering questions, and stay calm.
How can you keep your hands in sight and on the steering wheel when the first thing they will be asked to do in this scenario is to retrieve their driving documents? These docs are usually in different places such as the glove box, a purse, or a back pocket requiring undesirable movements and reaching into places that the officer can’t see.
It took many years of designing and redesigning prototypes and testing many adhesive gel pads to finally come up with the patented Safer Traffic Stops case.
In what ways do you envision the Safer Traffic Stops Case improving the safety of both drivers and police officers during traffic stops?
Using our Safer Traffic Stops case is a game changer for both drivers and officers. Our case allows drivers to keep their hands where officers can see them thus lowering the tension on both the officer and driver when being pulled over.
Officers prefer drivers keep their hands on the steering wheel for obvious reasons, and if the driver only has to reach to the steering cowl to retrieve the requested documents the entire interaction becomes Safer.
Are there any plans to expand the features or functionalities of the Safer Traffic Stops Case in the future?
Our plans for the Safer Traffic Stops Case are varied. One thing we plan to offer in the future is Safer Traffic Stops Cases with corporate branding, as well as licenses specifically for your car that police can scan. Other plans I can’t divulge at this time.
How do you see the Safer Traffic Stops Case contributing to broader conversations about safety during interactions with law enforcement and the public?
We plan to have a forum on our site for people to share their experiences when using the Safer Traffic Stops Case. Also, on our site there will be “The Talk” for those who didn’t get it from home and those who need a review.
Drivers as well as officers will be encouraged to share their experience when the Safer Traffic Stop Case is used. We will also post verbiage that law enforcement prefers you say as well as what and NOT say if you have a legal concealed carry and it is in the vehicle.
What kind of research or testing went into the usability and practicality of the case for drivers and police alike?
We gave family and friends in different parts of the country cases to test in their climates from Michigan to California to Atlanta in the south to see how it as well as the gel pad would hold up. Our finding concluded extreme temperatures in either direction didn’t compromise the integrity, of the case or the gel pad.
We also shared the Safer Traffic Stops Case with various law enforcement municipalities and received rave reviews as the product eliminates the unknown when drivers have to reach into blind compartments, purses, or pockets to retrieve documents.
What steps could be taken on a social level to enhance safety and mutual understanding during traffic stops?
We believe simply using the Safer Traffic Stops Case enhances safety for drivers and officers alike. STS should be in every car. Our website will have a page where everyone, including officers, can share this product’s positive effects on a routine traffic stop.
