Can a Police Officer Take Your Motorcycle Keys?

Police officers stop motorcyclists and take their keys in cities and highways. They do it to ensure public safety, protect riders from dangerous stunts and provide tickets. 

Can a Police Officer Take Your Motorcycle Keys? A police officer can take your motorcycle keys due to bike impounding, temporarily seize for tickets, suspicious behavior with a flee, high speed on highways, lack of legal and valid license, splitting of lanes, and confiscation due to slang. The city police, county sheriff, and state troopers can take the keys to enforce the law.

Cops chase the suspects in their cars and police motorcycles. They take keys because the rider crosses the stop signal and shows impolite behavior. 

Why would a police officer take your motorcycle keys?

He can remove the keys from the motorcycle due to the suspicious behavior of the biker. The following are a few significant reasons that lead to these complicated activities. 

Impounding a motorcycle

Cops have various authorities and powers. For example, they remove the keys of a motorcycle to impound it. 

They carry out this activity because the motorcyclists violate the rules. For example, they break the red signal at fast speeds. In such conditions, the officer stops the biker, checks his documents, and impounds the bike for legal proceedings.

Flawed documents make the biker doubtful. Officer takes the suspect to the police station and returns the bike in nearly 4 to 5 hours. 

Temporary seize for tickets

Law enforcement authorities across the United States use police motorcycles that check and regulate the bikers. Patrol police with an extensive margin can provide tickets due to high speeds and wheeling. 

Motors are officers on the bikes that report to the traffic bureau. They stop the bikers, remove the keys immediately and seize the riding temporarily. 

They remove keys so that the bikers cannot run from the legal procedures. In addition, state troopers can provide more tickets than local officers. 

Highways have standard speed limits due resist accidents. However, violation leads to temporary seizure and tickets. 

Suspicious behavior with fleeing

Several bikers flee from the cop, and their behavior becomes suspicious. They run due to insufficient documents, stolen bikes, and criminal activities. 

The local police stop the suspects on city roads. But, fleeing makes them more suspicious, and the officers follow the suspects in their vehicles. 

They stop the biker, harass them, remove their keys immediately and take the bike under custody. They investigate about to flee and charge penalties according to the given reasons. They never free the guilty and criminal riders. 

High speed on highways

Motorcycles have speed limit laws on the highways to protect the riders and surrounding drivers. The bikers cannot cross these limits at turns and straight roads.

Young bikers violate the speed limits when they do not find the cop around them. However, troopers check, regulate and identify the violators through hidden cameras. 

The nearest officer follows the suspect and advises him to stop through a speaker and overtaking. The officer removes the keys, takes the bike under his guardianship, and checks the license. 

Mostly, they return keys after comprehensive counseling of young riders. 

Lack of legal and valid license 

Motorcyclists cannot run bikes without a legal license across the states of the USA. With invalid documents, motorcyclists cross the cop at high speeds. 

But, it makes them guilty of abnormal speed limits and dangerous stunts. In such conditions, the local police take off the keys from their bikes. 

They stand the suspect along the road; check their license cards, and charge penalties due to violations. Expired licenses are not valid for highway riding. Highway patrol cops take strict action against such riders by taking the keys under their custody.

Splitting of lanes

In New York, lane splitting is illegal because it results in life-threatening accidents. The officer swerves in the passage of a biker and pulls over the rider immediately. 

The officer removes the keys before the biker gets out of the center of traffic. He performs the activity without the consent of the rider. 

The officer gets out of his car and asks the rider to stop the bike. He commands the biker to remove keys before this activity.

But, several people violate the lawful command and keep their hands on the keys. Insufficient response leads to strict actions and impounding of the bike. 

Confiscation due to slang

During a temporary stop, the biker exchanges slang with the cop. The officers become furious and remove keys from the motorcycles. 

They charge fines and penalties to the rider. Lack of license makes the procedure more complicated. Without a criminal record, the cop keeps the rider in prison for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

What to do if a police officer takes your motorcycle keys?

Defaulting riders run away from the police due to a lack of license and legal documentation. But, the cop stops the riders forcefully and checks their valid documents. 

In such conditions, they take off the keys and keep them in their supervision. In such circumstances, never resist in front of local police, be polite and put your hands on the handlebars.

Also, raise your hands in front of state troopers and get off the bike. Show your valid documents to the officers and describe the reason for your high-speed riding. 

Next, ensure the cop that you will never repeat a violation in the future. Never argue with the officers and follow their instructions.

Wait patiently along the road and leave the keys under their supervision. 

What police officers can take your motorcycle keys?

The USA police have several authorities due to government policies. They can stop the riders anywhere due to a fleece or suspicious activity. 

The city police are responsible for law enforcement. They tackle the riders who do dangerous stunts on busy traffic roads. They remove the keys from the motorcycle immediately and reduce the chances of their escape. 

They are responsible for maintaining the safety and order of the public. They detect, investigate and prevent criminal activities. 

 State troopers are particular officers that work on the highways and freeways. The troopers ensure the safety of the public on the federal roadways. 

They enforce the state laws on the roads and regulate the speed limits. In addition, the patrol police on highways assist the local jurisdictions, can remove keys from the bike, and protect against dangerous accidents. 

The County sheriff is a licensed public officer that can remove the keys of a motorcyclist due to a violation or suspicious flee. He regulates and enforces criminal laws across the state. In addition, he operates, controls, and manages the county jails. 

Related Articles:

Why Do Motorcycles Have VIN Numbers?

Can You Do a Burnout on a Motorcycle with ABS?