Results of Police Traffic Stops: Outcomes and Demographics

"In 2020, about 10% of drivers in traffic stops experienced no enforcement action by police, while about 43% were given a warning and 43% were given a ticket (table 5). There were no statistically significant changes in outcomes for drivers in traffic stops from 2018 to 2020.

"Female drivers (45% in 2018 and 46% in 2020) were more likely than male drivers (40% in 2018 and 41% in 2020) to be given a warning during a traffic stop, while male drivers (7% in 2018 and 6% in 2020) were more likely than female drivers (2% each year) to be searched or arrested. There were no statistically significant differences by sex in the percentage of drivers who were given a ticket or experienced no enforcement action in 2018 and 2020.

"In 2020, black drivers (15%) were more likely than white drivers (9%) to experience no enforcement action during their most recent traffic stop. Among those who did experience an action, white drivers (45% in 2018 and 47% in 2020) were more likely to be given a warning than drivers of any other race or Hispanic origin in 2018 and 2020. A higher percentage of Hispanic persons (52% in 2018 and 50% in 2020) and persons who are Asian, American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or of two or more races (52% in 2018 and 51% in 2020) received a ticket than white persons (41% in 2018 and 40% in 2020). Persons with household incomes of $49,000 or less were more likely to be searched or arrested in 2018 and 2020 than persons with household incomes of $75,000 or more."