How are vehicle stops regulated under South Dakota law?

Under South Dakota law, a vehicle stop must be justified based on reasonable suspicion or probable cause. This legal standard is rooted in the Fourth Amendment, which protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. In practical terms, law enforcement officers need to have specific, articulable facts indicating that a traffic violation has occurred, or that the driver is engaged in criminal activity to initiate a stop.

Reasonable suspicion can come from observations, such as erratic driving behavior or violations of traffic laws, while probable cause is a higher standard that applies in situations where the officer has enough evidence to believe that the vehicle or its occupants are involved in a crime. This ensures a balance between law enforcement's duty to maintain public safety and the rights of individuals to be free from arbitrary interference.

The other options do not accurately reflect the legal framework governing vehicle stops. For instance, officers cannot stop any vehicle at any time without justification, and written notices are not required for every stop. Additionally, while license checks can be a component of law enforcement practices, they cannot solely justify stopping a vehicle without reasonable suspicion or probable cause to initiate the stop.