As compared to white drivers, a Black driver is five times as likely to be stopped by a police officer. Black citizens report being stopped more frequently for minor violations: forgetting to use their blinker, a cracked windshield, a broken taillight. These frequent stops have real, often serious implications on the mental wellbeing of Black citizens, potentially leading to anxiety and short-term PTSD.
Known as racial profiling, this phenomenon has considerable importance to scholars across the nation, including Michael Birzer, professor of criminal justice.