Some drivers choose to keep only a digital copy of car insurance on their phones. But legal experts are warning against going digital after two Missouri officers allegedly took nude photos and videos from women's phones during traffic stops.
"It's abhorrent, right? It's a violation of the driver's privacy, of their dignity, and it's absolutely something that shouldn't have happened," said Sharon Brett, a professor at the University of Kansas School of Law.
Drivers only need to show proof of valid insurance, so it's unnecessary for police to take a driver's phone to their patrol vehicle, said Lauren Bonds, the executive director of the National Police Accountability Project. If an officer requests to have the information while at their patrol car, drivers should instead write down their policy information.
"Only having it on your phone can expose you to unfortunate violations by the police," Bonds said.
Last year a judge ruled the "Kansas two-step" — a tactic used by the highway patrol to get drivers to voluntarily share enough information to give officers a reason to search the vehicle — is a violation of a driver's constitutional rights.
"So if an officer comes back and re-approaches the window, say, 'I don't want to answer any more questions, am I free to leave?'" Brett said.
- Sharon Brett, associate professor of law, University of Kansas School of Law
- Lauren Bonds, executive director, National Police Accountability Project
