Q: What are traffic laws in regards to dropping off passengers on the side of the road on the sidewalk/curb.
I was approached by an officer after letting out passengers on the side of the road when I pulled over. He stated that I could be given a ticket for impeding traffic. Just need some help with how to approach dropping off passengers in the future and what is and isn’t allowed. I live in North Carolina.
A:
GREAT QUESTION
The officer is right. Under the NC Traffic Laws, there is no legal right to stop in the roadway to let off passengers. It is impeding traffic.
As such, the legal (and safe) thing to do is pull into a parking lot or out of the roadway to drop off passengers.
For more info on NC traffic laws go to: https://www.carolinaattorneys.com/traffic-violations.html
Bill Powers
NC Traffic Lawyer
CarolinaAttorneys.com
A: Pretty much anywhere you can legally park, you can legally drop off passengers (that's also safest). Pretty much anywhere else is potentially going to impede traffic and be rude, inconsiderate and unsafe. I find it disturbing that you are (presumably) licensed to drive and yet an officer had to actually tell you not to do that.
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