Traffic Enforcement and Crash Investigation
Core concepts
Traffic stops are seizures requiring reasonable suspicion of a violation. Know Connecticut enforcement priorities: handheld phone use, seatbelt enforcement, move-over laws, speeding, and impaired driving. A pretext stop is lawful if the officer has a valid traffic violation, but the stop must not be extended beyond its purpose without new suspicion. For impaired driving, establish probable cause through driving behavior, personal contact, field sobriety tests, and chemical testing under implied consent. Know the elements of operating under the influence and the lower threshold for underage drivers. At crashes, protect the scene, render aid, identify vehicles and persons, document injuries, measure and photograph evidence, and complete the required report. Crash reports record facts; they do not automatically determine civil fault.
Traps
Questions often test whether a stop was justified: if you cannot articulate the violation, the stop fails. Do not confuse a crash report with a fault determination. Do not prolong a stop for a dog sniff absent reasonable suspicion. Do not assume every collision requires a criminal charge. Do not skip the medical check.
Worked example
You observe a driver holding a phone to his ear while driving. You articulate the violation, stop the vehicle, and observe odor of alcohol and slurred speech. You develop probable cause through observations and standardized tests, then request chemical testing. Rule of thumb: build the stop one articulable fact at a time.