Which case expanded the reach of a stop to include the vehicle's passenger compartment?

• A. Reynolds v. State
• B. Michigan v. Long (1983)
• C. Florida v. Royer (1983)
• D. Popple v. State

Answer: (B)

During a lawful traffic stop, officers may extend their safety search to include the vehicle’s passenger compartment if there is reasonable suspicion that someone in the car is dangerous and could gain access to a weapon. In Michigan v. Long, the Supreme Court held that this protective search of the passenger compartment is permissible, allowing an officer to frisk the interior of the car to ensure safety while the stop is being conducted. This expands the reach of the stop beyond just the area immediately around the driver to the interior where a weapon might be concealed or within reach.

The search must stay within the interior spaces where a weapon could be quickly accessed; broader searches of the trunk generally require additional justification. The other cases cited deal with different contexts of stops and searches and do not authorize this specific expansion into the vehicle’s passenger compartment during a routine stop.