Mid-Michigan mother creates device to make traffic stops safer

Safer Traffic Stops keeps license, registration, and insurance visible on steering wheel

Published on Feb. 8, 2026

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Susan Pope, a Black mother in Bath Township, Michigan, has created a product called Safer Traffic Stops - a patented leather document holder that allows drivers to keep their license, registration, and insurance visible on the steering wheel during traffic stops. Pope developed the device after having "the talk" with her children about the risks of "driving while Black" and wanting to find a way to keep their hands visible and avoid potential escalation during roadside encounters.

Why it matters

Black and brown drivers are disproportionately more likely to be searched, arrested, or experience use of force during traffic stops according to data, leading to concerns about safety and tensions between law enforcement and minority communities. Pope's device aims to address these issues by making it easier for drivers to comply with officer requests without having to reach into glove compartments or wallets.

The details

The Safer Traffic Stops device is an octagonal-shaped leather holder that attaches to the steering wheel, allowing drivers to keep important documents visible and accessible. Pope was inspired to create it after discussions with her children about the risks they face as Black drivers. Law enforcement officials like Lt. Rene Gonzalez of Michigan State Police and Lansing Township Police Detective Sergeant Randy Volosky have expressed support for the concept, saying it could help ease tensions and improve safety during traffic stops.

  • Susan Pope created Safer Traffic Stops after having "the talk" with her children about "driving while Black".
  • According to the Prison Policy Initiative, Black drivers are twice as likely to be searched or arrested and three times as likely to experience police use of force during traffic stops.

The players

Susan Pope

The CEO of Safer Traffic Stops LLC and a resident of Bath Township, Michigan, who created the Safer Traffic Stops device after concerns about her children's safety during traffic stops as Black drivers.

Lt. Rene Gonzalez

A Michigan State Police officer with nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience who says the Safer Traffic Stops device could be useful for drivers.

Randy Volosky

A Lansing Township Police Detective Sergeant who supports the concept of the Safer Traffic Stops device and believes it could help ease tensions during the initial part of a traffic stop.

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What they’re saying

“When your kids start driving, you worry about their safety; not getting in an accident, using their blinkers, all that basic stuff. But, as a Black parent, you also have to put on top of that the fact that they're 'driving while Black.' Usually, Black and brown people are pulled over more than anybody else.”

— Susan Pope, CEO, Safer Traffic Stops LLC (wilx.com)

“Even if you did nothing wrong, just be cooperative and just get it over with and be polite. Smile and just try to release yourself as a threat.”

— Eltoine Hawkins, Black father (wilx.com)

“It sounds like a great idea. A lot of the time, we will come up on traffic stops, and they don't have their insurance or registration, and they just can't find it. So this is a way to make it accessible, and they'll always know where it's at.”

— Lt. Rene Gonzalez, Michigan State Police (wilx.com)

What’s next

Pope said she hopes to collaborate with law enforcement agencies and the Secretary of State to distribute 'Safer Traffic Stops' to individuals obtaining driver's licenses.

The takeaway

Susan Pope's Safer Traffic Stops device aims to address the disproportionate risks and tensions that Black and brown drivers face during traffic stops by making it easier for them to comply with officer requests without having to reach for documents, keeping hands visible and reducing the potential for escalation.