Your First Car P2
By John R.
Modern Car in Showroom by pixelshot Created in Canva
Now that you followed the link or just skipped the first article entirely (I would recommend reading Part I first, obviously) you can continue to read about cars:
*DISCLAIMER* This article is addressed specifically to residents of the United States. Many things that are standard in the U.S. as listed here, such as legal statuses, legislation, or legal ownership requirements may not exist in other countries. If you live outside the United States or U.S. Territories, research the laws and requirements according to your country of residence. Neither the author of his publication nor the NorthStar Navigator claim to be legal experts, nor should be taken as so.
Registration
Let's talk about one of the trickier parts of legally buying a car. We already discussed tags, registration, and titles briefly, but let's look at it more in depth, as if you don’t get it right…or on time, you could get in trouble with the law. In order to legally own a car you should have up-to-date information in the car at all times. Make sure the tags on the car are up to date and not expired. Tags are the legal/police term for the stickers on your windshield or license plate indicating you have a valid registration. The actual registration papers themselves prove you are the owner. Another must-have is insurance. In most states, it is law that you must have at least liability insurance, which basically entails paying for other people's insurance costs if you get into a wreck. You should carry proof of insurance and registration in your glove box, or another easy to get to place. The vehicle should be legally registered and recognized by the DMV, and have a clean title, more on that later.
Title
While it's easy to think that it doesn't matter what the title status is, it's a car after all, things don't work like that. Most of the time the title will be clean, but you may come across one listed as salvage or stolen. The latter is pretty self explanatory. After a vehicle is reported stolen, law enforcement will usually designate the title (along with the vehicle and license plate) as stolen. The police will be looking for this vehicle and you can go to jail for theft if you know or suspect the car is stolen, yet still drive it. You should turn this vehicle in to the police immediately and report the seller.
You may also see a salvage title. This usually means that there is so much wrong with the car the insurance company deems it too expensive to drive. This doesn't mean it's a bad car, it's just the insurance company considers it too risky to them financially. Either way, it is usually illegal in most states to drive a car with this title. However, if you can manage to get it passed in a state test, the DMV will issue a new title: rebuilt. This means the car has been rebuilt from a previously salvage state and is now legal to drive. But, even for a first car, if you are trying to buy a scrapper, go ahead. Any other time, avoid cars with a salvage title.
Traffic Stops
There is no reason to be afraid of the police, as long as you aren’t breaking the law, you have no reason to fear them. However, if a police officer has reasonable suspicion that you are committing a traffic violation then they may pull you over. Common reasons for traffic stops are speeding, expired tags, reckless driving, or vehicle defects, such as a tail light going out. If you are pulled over, pull onto the side of the road immediately. If you can’t find a safe place to pull over, use your turn signals to indicate to the officer where you are going and you are not trying to run. After you are stopped, stay in the vehicle. Do not open the door or stick your arms out unless ordered to by the officer; keep both hands on the steering wheel. Statistically, traffic stops are one of the most dangerous areas of work for them, so they are always on high alert. The officer will ask you for license and registration. This is often the first question he will ask. Communicate where the documents are, and make slow movements. If it is in the glove box, inform the officer, and slowly open it and get the proof of the insurance and registration. If you have a weapon (pepper spray, firearm, or knife) in the car, you should tell him about the weapons in the car and exactly where they are at. If you have a valid CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon Permit) and have a gun in the glove box with your registration, tell him that, and move very slowly.
These are some legal things to consider when making a purchase. Remember to take an adult along with you to check the car, as they are much more experienced compared to you; sellers may take advantage of your naiveness and rip you off, it happens. That is why you take someone experienced with you. After you buy the car it's time to drive it, and after you drive it, guess what happens next…..MAINTENANCE TIME!
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John R is a two-year veteran of NSA and of the NorthStar Navigator. He currently lives on the West Coast of the United States. He is deeply interested in topics concerning international relations, geo-politics, military history, equipment, and tactics, law, and criminal justice. He plans on attending college and getting a degree needed to becoming a police officer. He loves the woods and the sea, and his favorite types of day are cloudy, windy, wet.