delaware prouse argued january decided march patrolman police cruiser stopped automobile occupied respondent seized marihuana plain view car floor respondent subsequently indicted illegal possession controlled substance hearing respondent motion suppress marihuana patrolman testified prior stopping vehicle observed neither traffic equipment violations suspicious activity made stop order check driver license car registration patrolman acting pursuant standards guidelines procedures pertaining document spot checks promulgated either department state attorney general trial granted motion suppress finding stop detention wholly capricious therefore violative fourth amendment delaware affirmed held jurisdiction case even though delaware held stop issue violated federal constitution also impermissible delaware constitution opinion shows even state constitution provided adequate basis judgment intend rest decision independently state constitution holding instead depending upon view reach fourth fourteenth amendments pp except least articulable reasonable suspicion motorist unlicensed automobile registered either vehicle occupant otherwise subject seizure violation law stopping automobile detaining driver order check driver license registration automobile unreasonable fourth amendment pp stopping automobile detaining occupants constitute seizure within meaning fourth fourteenth amendments even though purpose stop limited resulting detention quite brief permissibility particular law enforcement practice judged balancing intrusion individual fourth amendment interests promotion legitimate governmental interests pp state interest discretionary spot checks means ensuring safety roadways outweigh resulting intrusion privacy security persons detained given physical psychological intrusion visited upon occupants vehicle random stop check documents cf marginal contribution roadway safety possibly resulting system spot checks justify subjecting every occupant every vehicle roads seizure unbridled discretion law enforcement officials pp individual operating traveling automobile lose reasonable expectation privacy simply automobile use subject government regulation people shorn fourth amendment protection step homes onto public sidewalk shorn interests step sidewalks automobiles pp holding case preclude delaware developing methods spot checks involve less intrusion involve unconstrained exercise discretion questioning oncoming traffic stops one possible alternative pp white delivered opinion burger brennan stewart marshall blackmun powell stevens joined blackmun filed concurring opinion powell joined post rehnquist filed dissenting opinion post charles oberly iii argued cause petitioner brief richard wier attorney general delaware carolyn berger fred silverman kathleen molyneux deputy attorneys general david lukoff argued cause respondent brief richard baumeister frank askin eric neisser frank carrington wayne schmidt glen murphy james costello filed brief americans effective law enforcement et al amici curiae urging reversal justice white delivered opinion question whether unreasonable seizure fourth fourteenth amendments stop automobile driven public highway purpose checking driving license operator registration car neither probable cause believe reasonable suspicion car driven contrary laws governing operation motor vehicles either car occupants subject seizure detention connection violation applicable law november new castle county patrolman police cruiser stopped automobile occupied respondent patrolman smelled marihuana smoke walking toward stopped vehicle seized marihuana plain view car floor respondent subsequently indicted illegal possession controlled substance hearing respondent motion suppress marihuana seized result stop patrolman testified prior stopping vehicle observed neither traffic equipment violations suspicious activity made stop order check driver license registration patrolman acting pursuant standards guidelines procedures pertaining document spot checks promulgated either department state attorney general characterizing stop routine patrolman explained saw car area answering complaints decided pull app trial granted motion suppress finding stop detention wholly capricious therefore violative fourth amendment delaware affirmed noting first issue legal validity systematic stops number vehicles license vehicle registration check emphasis original held random stop motorist absence specific articulable facts justify stop indicating reasonable suspicion violation law occurred constitutionally impermissible violative fourth fourteenth amendments constitution granted certiorari resolve conflict decision accord decisions five jurisdictions contrary determination six jurisdictions fourth amendment prohibit kind automobile stop occurred ii delaware held stop issue violated federal constitution also impermissible art delaware constitution urged judgment based independent adequate state ground therefore jurisdiction case fox film muller least suggested matter sufficiently uncertain remand clarification ground upon judgment rested california krivda based reading opinion however satisfied even state constitution provided adequate basis judgment delaware intend rest decision independently state constitution jurisdiction case understand opinion art delaware constitution automatically interpreted least broadly fourth amendment every police practice authoritatively determined contrary fourth fourteenth amendments without analysis held contrary art approach consistent previous opinions delaware followed case analyzed various decisions interpreting federal constitution concluded fourth amendment foreclosed spot checks automobiles summarily held state constitution therefore also infringed one cases least state felt compelled understood federal constitutional considerations construe law manner zacchini broadcasting state law mentioned question jurisdiction even though state constitution might provided independent adequate state ground ibid result follow state constitutional holding depended upon state view reach fourth fourteenth amendments state misapprehended federal law freed decide suits according local law missouri ex rel southern mayfield iii fourth fourteenth amendments implicated case stopping automobile detaining occupants constitute seizure within meaning amendments even though purpose stop limited resulting detention quite brief cf terry ohio essential purpose proscriptions fourth amendment impose standard reasonableness upon exercise discretion government officials including law enforcement agents order safeguard privacy security individuals arbitrary invasions marshall barlow quoting camara municipal thus permissibility particular law enforcement practice judged balancing intrusion individual fourth amendment interests promotion legitimate governmental interests implemented manner reasonableness standard usually requires minimum facts upon intrusion based capable measurement objective standard whether probable cause less stringent test situations balance interests precludes insistence upon quantum individualized suspicion safeguards generally relied upon assure individual reasonable expectation privacy subject discretion official field camara municipal see marshall barlow supra district requiring warrants case however state delaware urges patrol officers subject constraints deciding automobiles shall stopped license registration check state interest discretionary spot checks means ensuring safety roadways outweighs resulting intrusion privacy security persons detained iv recently considered legality investigative stops automobiles officers making stop neither probable cause believe reasonable suspicion either automobile occupants subject seizure applicable criminal laws supra border patrol agents conducting roving patrols areas near international border asserted statutory authority stop random vehicle order determine whether contained illegal aliens involved smuggling operations practice held violate fourth amendment invalidate warrantless automobile stops upon less probable cause given importance governmental interest stake minimal intrusion brief stop absence practical alternatives policing border analogized stop encounter addressed terry ohio supra held except border functional equivalents officers roving patrol may stop vehicles aware specific articulable facts together rational inferences facts reasonably warrant suspicion vehicles contain aliens may illegally country omitted constitutionality stops border patrol agents supra addressed permissibility checkpoint operations practice involved slowing oncoming traffic virtual complete halt highway roadblock referring vehicles chosen discretion border patrol agents area secondary inspection see recognizing governmental interest involved furthered stops nonetheless sustained constitutionality border patrol checkpoint operations crucial distinction lesser intrusion upon motorist fourth amendment interests objective intrusion stop questioning visual inspection also existed stops view checkpoint stops different light subjective intrusion generating concern even fright part lawful travelers appreciably less case checkpoint stop state delaware urges even discretionary spot checks occurred case intrude upon motorists much roving patrols held impermissible stops reasonable fourth amendment state interest practice means promoting public safety upon roads outweighs intrusion entailed although record discloses statistics concerning extent problem lack highway safety delaware nation whole aware danger life property posed vehicular traffic difficulties even cautious experienced driver may encounter agree vital interest ensuring qualified permitted operate motor vehicles vehicles fit safe operation hence licensing registration vehicle inspection requirements observed automobile licenses issued periodically evidence drivers holding sufficiently familiar rules road physically qualified operate motor vehicle registration requirement pointedly related annual inspection requirement delaware designed keep dangerous automobiles road unquestionably provisions properly administered essential elements highway safety program furthermore note state delaware requires minimum amount insurance coverage condition automobile registration implementing legitimate interest seeing citizens protection involved motor vehicle accident question remains however whether service important ends discretionary spot check sufficiently productive mechanism justify intrusion upon fourth amendment interests stops entail record us question must answered negative given alternative mechanisms available use might adopted unconvinced incremental contribution highway safety random spot check justifies practice fourth amendment foremost method enforcing traffic vehicle safety regulations must recalled acting upon observed violations vehicle stops traffic violations occur countless times day occasions licenses registration papers subject inspection drivers without ascertained furthermore drivers without licenses presumably less safe drivers whose propensities may well exhibit absent empirical data contrary must assumed finding unlicensed driver among commit traffic violations much likely event finding unlicensed driver choosing randomly entire universe drivers licensing drivers hardly effective means promoting roadway safety seems common sense percentage drivers road driving without license small number licensed drivers stopped order find one unlicensed operator large indeed contribution highway safety made discretionary stops selected among drivers generally therefore marginal best furthermore absent something mere assertion contrary find difficult believe unlicensed driver deterred possibility involved traffic violation experience calling proof entitlement drive deterred possibility one chosen spot check terms actually discovering unlicensed drivers deterring driving spot check appear sufficiently productive qualify reasonable law enforcement practice fourth amendment much said safety aspects automobiles distinguished drivers many violations minimum requirements observable something done observing officer directly immediately furthermore delaware elsewhere vehicles must carry display current license plates evidence vehicle properly registered delaware law qualify annual registration vehicle must pass annual safety inspection properly insured appear therefore stop vehicle necessary order ascertain compliance state registration requirements nothing show significant percentage automobiles also require license plates indicating current registration basis concluding stopping even cars document checks substantially promotes state interest marginal contribution roadway safety possibly resulting system spot checks justify subjecting every occupant every vehicle roads seizure limited magnitude compared intrusions nonetheless constitutionally cognizable unbridled discretion law enforcement officials insist neither upon appropriate factual basis suspicion directed particular automobile upon substantial objective standard rule govern exercise discretion invite intrusions upon constitutionally guaranteed rights based nothing substantial inarticulate hunches terry ohio hypothesis stopping apparently safe drivers necessary danger presented drivers observable time stop probable cause believe driver violating one multitude applicable traffic equipment regulations articulable basis amounting reasonable suspicion driver unlicensed vehicle unregistered conceive legitimate basis upon patrolman decide stopping particular driver spot check productive stopping driver kind standardless unconstrained discretion evil discerned previous cases insisted discretion official field circumscribed least extent camara municipal vi grave danger abuse discretion disappear simply automobile subject state regulation resulting numerous instances contact cady dombrowski last term pointed government intrudes privacy interest suffers whether government motivation investigate violations criminal laws breaches statutory regulatory standards marshall barlow certain relatively unique circumstances consent regulatory restrictions presumptively concurrent participation regulated enterprise see biswell federal regulation firearms colonnade catering federal regulation liquor otherwise regulatory inspections unaccompanied quantum individualized articulable suspicion must undertaken pursuant previously specified neutral criteria marshall barlow supra individual operating traveling automobile lose reasonable expectation privacy simply automobile use subject government regulation automobile travel basic pervasive often necessary mode transportation one home workplace leisure activities many people spend hours day traveling cars walking streets undoubtedly many find greater sense security privacy traveling automobile exposing pedestrian modes travel individual subject unfettered governmental intrusion every time entered automobile security guaranteed fourth amendment seriously circumscribed terry ohio supra recognized people shorn fourth amendment protection step homes onto public sidewalks shorn interests step sidewalks automobiles see adams williams vii accordingly hold except situations least articulable reasonable suspicion motorist unlicensed automobile registered either vehicle occupant otherwise subject seizure violation law stopping automobile detaining driver order check driver license registration automobile unreasonable fourth amendment holding preclude state delaware developing methods spot checks involve less intrusion involve unconstrained exercise discretion questioning oncoming traffic stops one possible alternative hold persons automobiles public roadways may reason alone travel privacy interfered unbridled discretion police officers judgment affirmed ordered footnotes montgomery app people ingle state ochoa app rev grounds commonwealth swanger nicholas see also cupps state holmberg neb state allen palmore app aff jurisdictional grounds leonard state tex crim app jenkins myricks cert dismissed stated delaware constitution article substantially similar fourth amendment violation latter necessarily violation former citing state moore del moore decided less two years mapp ohio applied limitations previously imposed federal government setting forth approach reiterated opinion moore noted common purposes wording fourth amendment state constitutional provision also overriding effect former see found one case decided state moore supra relied solely state law upholding validity search seizure case involved del const art also state statutory requirements issuance search warrant rossitto state moreover every case holding search seizure contrary state constitutional provision relies cases interpreting fourth amendment simultaneously concludes search seizure contrary provision see young state freeman state cf bertomeu state see marshall barlow cady dombrowski terry ohio camara municipal see also ortiz beck ohio mcdonald see ramsey supra cases cited supra terry ohio supra see also scott beck ohio supra see santana watson ker california warrantless arrests requiring probable cause ortiz supra warden hayden carroll warrantless searches requiring probable cause see also gerstein pugh see terry ohio supra supra addition warrant clause fourth amendment generally requires prior search neutral detached magistrate ascertain requisite standard met see mincey arizona supra addressing constitutionality border patrol practices reserved question permissibility state local officials stopping motorists document questioning manner similar checkpoint detention see operations see persons died motor vehicle accidents country dept transportation highway safety see del code tit supp department public safety shall examine applicant physical mental qualifications operate motor vehicle manner jeopardize safety persons property supp state delaware department public safety division motor vehicles driver manual urged additional state interests apprehension stolen motor vehicles drivers influence alcohol narcotics latter interest subsumed interest roadway safety may former interest extent remaining governmental interest controlling automobile thefts distinguishable general interest crime control cf supra del code tit see supra see supra see supp cf marshall barlow warrant required federal inspection interstate commerce power health safety workplace see seattle warrant required inspection warehouse municipal fire code violations camara municipal warrant required inspection residence municipal fire code violations holding today cast doubt permissibility roadside truck inspection checkpoints vehicles may subject detention safety regulatory inspection others justice blackmun justice powell joins concurring ante page carefully protects reach decision less intrusive spot checks involve unconstrained exercise discretion roadblock stop traffic given example necessarily assume reservation also includes purely random stops every car pass given point equate less intrusive roadblock stop regard present case precedent throws constitutional shadow upon necessarily somewhat individualized perhaps largely random examinations game wardens performance duties situation type seems balancing process value factors consideration quite different understanding join opinion judgment justice rehnquist dissenting holds successive sentences absent articulable reasonable suspicion unlawful conduct motorist may subjected random license check free develop methods spot checks involve unconstrained exercise discretion uestioning oncoming traffic stops ante motorists apparently like sheep much less likely frightened annoyed stopped en masse highway patrolman needs neither probable cause articulable suspicion stop motorists particular thoroughfare without articulable suspicion stop less motorists thus elevates adage misery loves company novel role fourth amendment jurisprudence rule becomes curiouser curiouser one attempts follow explanation correctly points people shorn fourth amendment protection step homes onto public sidewalks sidewalks automobiles random license check motorist operating vehicle highways owned maintained state quite different random stop designed uncover violations laws nothing motor vehicles one questions state may require licensing drive highways registration vehicles driven highways may insist requirements obviously may take steps necessary enforce compliance reasonableness enforcement measure chosen state tested weighing intrusion motorists fourth amendment interests promotion state legitimate interests executing balancing process concludes given alternative mechanisms available discretionary spot checks sufficiently productive mechanism safeguard state admittedly vital interest ensuring qualified permitted operate motor vehicles vehicles fit safe operation hence licensing registration vehicle inspection requirements observed ante foremost among alternative methods enforcing traffic vehicle safety regulations according acting upon observed violations drivers without licenses presumably less safe drivers whose propensities may well exhibit ante noting finding unlicensed driver among commit traffic violations much likely event finding unlicensed driver choosing randomly entire universe drivers concludes contribution highway safety made random stops marginal best state primary interest however traffic safety apprehending unlicensed motorists sake apprehending unlicensed motorists whole point enforcing motor vehicle safety regulations remove road unlicensed driver demonstrates unlicensed apparently prefer state check licenses vehicle registrations wreckage towed away impressed deterrence rationale finding inconceivable unlicensed driver deterred prospect involved traffic violation incident requiring produce license deterred possibility subjected spot check arrives conclusion without benefit shred empirical data record suggesting system random spot checks fail deter violators absence evidence state determination random stops serve deterrence function stand side balance advances diaphanous citizen interests indeed say interests never infringed state state must infringe en masse rather citizen citizen comply fourth amendment state need subject citizens anxiety inconvenien ce subjects constitutional purposes action individual law enforcement officer action state ex parte virginia state acts accompanied presumption validity shown otherwise see mcdonald board election although system discretionary stops conceivably abused record us contains showing abuse probable even likely evidence record system random license checks fail adequately state interest deterring apprehending violators nevertheless concludes record us random spot check sufficiently productive mechanism justify intrusion upon fourth amendment interests stops entail ante think approach reverses presumption constitutionality accorded acts burden upon state demonstrate procedures consistent fourth amendment upon respondent demonstrate record respondent failed make demonstration neither opinion opinion delaware suggests random stop made case carried manner inconsistent equal protection clause fourteenth amendment absent equal protection violation fact random stops may entail possibly unsettling show authority ante may create substantial anxiety seems insufficient basis distinguish fourth amendment purposes roadblock stopping cars random stop issue accordingly reverse judgment delaware indeed distinction expressly recognized decision case takes account special function border patrol importance governmental interests policing border area character stops availability alternatives random stops unsupported reasonable suspicion border patrol agents part enforcing laws regulate highway use activities nothing inquiry whether motorists vehicles entitled virtue compliance laws governing highway usage upon public highways decision thus imply state local enforcement agencies without power conduct limited stops necessary enforce laws regarding drivers licenses vehicle registration truck weights similar matters