Resulting from traffic stops, deaths are among a series of seemingly avoidable killings across the United States. Many stops began with common traffic violations like broken taillights or running a red light; relative to the population, Black drivers were overrepresented among those killed.
Over the past five years, a New York Times investigation found, police officers have killed more than 400 drivers or passengers who were not wielding a gun or a knife, or under pursuit for a violent crime — a rate of more than one a week.
Most of the officers did so with impunity. Only five have been convicted of crimes in those killings, according to a review of the publicly reported cases. Yet local governments paid at least $125 million to resolve about 40 wrongful-death lawsuits and other claims. Dozens of encounters appeared to turn on what criminologists describe as officer-created jeopardy. Frequently, officers also appeared to exaggerate the threat.
More officers are killed on traffic stops by other drivers then are ever shot or stabbed by the offender they originally stopped.
Forty-One enforcement officers were killed accidentally in 2019.The majority (19 officers) were killed in motor vehicle crashes.
