Ron Ananian’s Car Doctor welcomes Deputy Frank Slope from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office to talk real-world traffic enforcement and driver awareness. They dig into why speeding and distracted driving still cause preventable crashes, including a striking story of a 17-year-old going 92 mph in a 35 mph zone on her way to school. The conversation also covers how modern cars can dull road feel, how to spot distraction, when to report erratic drivers, and what to do during a traffic stop to keep both sides safe.
This week on Ron Ananian, The Car Doctor, Ron sits down with Deputy Frank Sloup—better known to millions online through his popular YouTube channel Fridays With Frank and his insightful BodyCam Breakdown series.
Deputy Sloup brings real-world experience from the front lines of law enforcement, breaking down what actually happens during traffic stops, roadside encounters, and everyday driving situations. Through his unique perspective, he helps drivers better understand how their actions behind the wheel can impact safety—for themselves, their passengers, and everyone else on the road.
In this conversation, we go beyond the viral videos to talk about driver awareness, decision-making under pressure, and the simple habits that can prevent accidents and save lives. It’s an eye-opening look at driving from the other side of the badge—practical, honest, and packed with takeaways every driver can use.
If you’ve ever watched Fridays With Frank or BodyCam Breakdown, this is your chance to hear the stories and lessons behind the scenes—and apply them every time you get behind the wheel.
Good mechanics aren’t expensive — they’re priceless.
"I replaced the radiator, the cooling fan, the condenser, and the housing on top of the manifold."
The radiator is what helps your car get rid of heat. If it’s broken, the engine can start running too hot.
The radiator is the heat exchanger that dumps engine heat into the air. When it fails, the engine can overheat quickly because coolant can’t shed heat effectively.
"Cars are smarter, roads are busier, and distractions are everywhere. But the basics of safe driving..."
Distractions are anything that pulls a driver’s attention away from driving—like phones, infotainment, or even passenger conversations. Modern cars may be “smarter,” but distraction risk still affects reaction time and decision-making.
"If you spend any time on YouTube watching real-world traffic stops in driver education, you may already know them..."
Real-world traffic stops are firsthand videos or accounts of police interactions during a roadside stop. For driver education, they’re useful because they show how officers assess situations and how drivers’ choices affect outcomes.
"So especially with DUI enforcement, you know, looking for impaired drivers, I think it's, you know, in the state of Arizona..."
DUI enforcement is when police focus on catching drivers who are too drunk or high to drive safely. They look for signs of impairment and may investigate if there’s a crash.
DUI enforcement refers to police efforts to identify and stop drivers who are operating a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs. It often includes roadside observations, sobriety testing, and investigations after crashes.
"...been involved in a crash or had their life changed... or they're involved in a collision, that's the kind of enforcement that I do here."
A collision is a car crash. Police may investigate collisions to figure out what caused them and whether someone was driving impaired or dangerously.
A collision is a crash involving vehicles (and sometimes pedestrians or property). In traffic enforcement, crashes can trigger investigations to determine whether impairment, speeding, or reckless driving contributed.
"So I'm assigned to our full-time traffic unit, and I drive an aggressive driver car..."
A traffic unit is a group of officers whose job is to improve road safety. They watch for dangerous driving and respond to crashes.
A traffic unit is a specialized police team focused on traffic safety and enforcement. They typically target speeding, reckless driving, and collisions, often using both patrol and investigation.
"...always looking for vehicles on the roadway that are moving, you know, whether they're speeding, whether they're driving recklessly or aggressively..."
Speeding means going faster than is safe or faster than the posted limit. It makes it harder to stop in time and increases the chance of a crash.
Speeding is driving above posted limits or too fast for conditions, and it’s a common focus of traffic enforcement. Higher speeds increase stopping distance and reduce the driver’s margin for error.
"...they, you pulled them over, they don't have a license, they don't have a registration, they don't have an insurance card..."
Registration is the paperwork that shows the car is legally allowed to be driven. If someone doesn’t have it, it can mean the vehicle isn’t properly cleared to be on the road. Police often check this during stops.
Registration is the legal authorization for a vehicle to be driven on public roads, typically tied to ownership and required fees. In traffic stops, lack of registration can indicate the car isn’t legally permitted to operate. It’s a common enforcement issue alongside licensing and insurance.
"...they pulled them over, they don't have a license, they don't have a registration, they don't have an insurance card..."
A driver’s license is legal permission to operate a vehicle, issued after meeting testing and eligibility requirements. In the transcript, the speaker notes stops where drivers lack a license, which increases legal risk and safety risk. It also often correlates with other missing requirements like registration and insurance.
"...they don't have a license, they don't have a registration, they don't have an insurance card..."
An insurance card is proof that the car has insurance. Police ask for it to make sure the driver can pay if there’s an accident. If there’s no card, it usually means there’s no valid coverage.
An insurance card is proof that the vehicle is covered by an active auto insurance policy. During stops, officers may require drivers to show it to confirm financial responsibility. Without insurance, drivers may face penalties and the risk of being unable to cover crash costs.
"I mean, 92 miles an hour, no one on a, on a surface street expects to have a vehicle coming out them at nearly triple the posted speed limit."
It means the car was going way faster than what the road is designed for. That leaves much less time to react, so avoiding a crash becomes far harder.
This highlights the mismatch between expected and actual vehicle speed. When a driver encounters a vehicle traveling far above the limit, the time-to-collision shrinks and normal “gap” judgments fail, increasing the chance of a crash.
"But I mean, you know, I mean, obviously cell phones, distracted driving is, is such a huge deal right now. But I mean, how technologically advanced cars are,"
Distracted driving means you’re not fully paying attention to the road. The biggest example is using a phone while driving.
Distracted driving refers to any activity that pulls attention away from driving, such as using a phone or interacting with in-car technology. The speaker frames it as a major contributor to collisions, alongside the increasing complexity of modern cars.
"But I mean, you know, I mean, obviously cell phones, distracted driving is, is such a huge deal right now. But I mean, how technologically advanced cars are,"
They’re pointing to cell phones as a common distraction. Even short glances can take your eyes and attention off driving.
The transcript explicitly calls out cell phones as a key source of distraction. This is relevant because it connects everyday behavior to real-world collision patterns the speaker sees while working traffic enforcement.
"I mean, people just looking at their phones. [827.3s] I mean, that's it, texting and driving, watching YouTube, TikTok, you know, I mean,"
Texting while driving is dangerous because it pulls your eyes and hands off the road. It also makes it harder to focus on what’s happening around you.
Texting and driving is a high-risk form of distraction because it combines visual, manual, and cognitive demands. Even short glances away from the road can significantly increase the chance of a crash.
"So, you know, is it, is it we want to practice more defensive driving? Do we want to anticipate the other driver?"
Anticipate the other driver means you try to guess what they might do next. If you notice weird behavior, you give yourself more space and be ready to react.
Anticipating other drivers means predicting likely mistakes based on their behavior—like erratic steering, slow speed, or inconsistent lane position. This is a key defensive-driving skill because it helps you adjust speed and spacing before a problem develops.
"...you just, you see him making abrupt, you know, like you said, he's looking at his phone, he's distracted, almost hit something..."
Abrupt wheel movement means the driver is turning the steering wheel suddenly. That can happen when someone is distracted and reacts too late, then has to correct quickly.
Abrupt steering inputs can indicate a driver is reacting late or overcorrecting—sometimes because they’re distracted or not seeing hazards early. In traffic, this behavior can lead to near-misses and side-swipe situations.
"...almost side swipes another car, driving really slow. You go, man, what's going on with that? ... you see him making abrupt... drifting out of their lanes..."
Lane drifting is when a car starts to wander out of its lane. It can be a sign the driver isn’t paying attention, like looking at a phone.
Lane drifting is when a vehicle unintentionally moves out of its lane, often due to distraction, fatigue, or impaired attention. It’s a common early sign that a driver may not be fully aware of their surroundings.
"...almost side swipes another car, driving really slow. You go, man, what's going on with that?"
A side-swipe is when two cars hit each other along the side. It often happens when one car drifts or changes lanes without noticing the other vehicle.
A side-swipe is a collision where the front or rear of one vehicle contacts the side of another, often during lane changes or when a vehicle drifts. Distracted driving increases the chance of this because drivers may not hold lane position or judge gaps correctly.
"...I always like to put them in something and I lock brakes, you know, full seatbelts, airbags..."
Seatbelts keep you from flying forward in a crash. Wearing one correctly helps protect you from getting seriously hurt.
Seatbelts are the primary restraint system that keeps occupants from being thrown forward during a crash. Properly worn seatbelts significantly reduce serious injury and death risk.
"...full seatbelts, airbags and the least amount of technology..."
Airbags are safety cushions that pop out during a crash. They help protect your head and chest, especially when you’re wearing a seatbelt.
Airbags are supplemental restraint devices that deploy rapidly in certain crashes to cushion occupants. They work together with seatbelts to reduce head and chest injuries.
"...Frank, we're going to pull over when we come back. I want to talk a little bit about when you get pulled over for..."
“Pulled over” means the police stop your car. The safest approach is to stay calm, follow the officer’s directions, and keep your hands where they can be seen.
Being “pulled over” means a police officer stops your vehicle for a traffic issue or investigation. How the driver responds—staying calm, following instructions, and keeping hands visible—affects safety for both the officer and occupants.
"I play a game all the time on the side of the road with people and that game is what's the password to get into my insurance policy app. So be familiar with that..."
They’re talking about using your insurance phone app to show proof of insurance. It helps you find the right info quickly instead of digging through paper.
The speaker describes using an insurance policy mobile app to access required documents during a stop. This is increasingly common because many insurers provide digital proof of insurance and policy details in-app.
"I believe it's on every stop, there's some level of education is going to happen... I educate every single day, I pull someone over, I don't write them a ticket..."
Instead of only writing a ticket, the deputy explains the rule and why it matters. The idea is to help drivers learn so they don’t repeat the mistake.
This concept is about using traffic stops as an opportunity to inform drivers about rules and safety, rather than only issuing tickets. The deputy describes tailoring the amount of education based on role and emphasizing “nuance” of state law.
"“...as much at ease as it would be if, like I said, all of the other aforementioned things happen, windows go down...”"
Rolling the windows down makes it easier to talk and helps the officer see you clearly. It’s usually part of staying calm and safe.
Lowering windows during a stop is often recommended because it improves communication and reduces tension. It also allows the officer to see the driver’s hands and face more clearly.
"...they're trying to beat the light there, you know, whatever it may be, where they don't, you know, they, they don't take the time to clear the intersection, to be a good defensive driver."
Clearing the intersection means you should only enter if you can get all the way through. That way you don’t end up stopped in the middle where other drivers can hit you.
“Clearing the intersection” means ensuring you can fully pass through before entering, so you don’t get stuck in the middle if traffic changes. This is a key defensive driving tactic at signalized intersections to avoid side-impact and rear-end collisions.
"And I think that's, that's the, the number one thing is if you're a defensive driver, a lot of people on motorcycles drive very defensively, you know, and I mean, I work with a squad of guys that ride motorcycles for a living."
Defensive driving means you drive in a way that assumes other people might make mistakes. You stay alert, give yourself extra space, and slow down when you need to so you can avoid trouble.
A defensive driver anticipates other road users’ mistakes and makes safer choices before a problem happens. The goal is to reduce the chance of crashes by staying alert, leaving space, and following a predictable path through intersections.
"[2298.6s] to drive, you know, what do you think? Should they hire a driving instructor? Is that easier?
[2304.4s] Yeah. Right. Absolutely. And I'll tell you why."
A driving instructor is someone who teaches people how to drive. The idea here is that a parent’s advice can be ignored sometimes, but kids may take it more seriously when it comes from a professional.
A driving instructor is a professional who teaches new drivers using structured lessons and consistent coaching. In this segment, the host argues that kids may listen differently when the message comes from a trained professional rather than a parent.
"[2330.0s] with Frank, you know, especially if you're you're here in Arizona and you know, you want to know
[2334.3s] more about Arizona Motor Vehicle Law, you know, finding, finding things like there's so much
[2340.4s] education right now on the internet. That's good quality education."
They’re saying it’s better to learn driving safety from trustworthy sources, not just whatever you find online. The goal is to help parents and new drivers practice safer habits.
The segment points listeners to official and high-quality safety guidance rather than relying only on random internet content. This is about using credible sources to learn safe-driving habits and rules.
"[2340.4s] good stuff about safe driving. NITSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NTSB does
[2346.0s] you know, they have all sorts of recommendations for safe driving."
NHTSA is a U.S. government group that works on making roads safer. They share guidance on how to drive more safely.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a U.S. government agency focused on reducing traffic deaths and injuries. In the episode, it’s cited as a source of recommendations for safe driving.
"[2346.0s] you know, they have all sorts of recommendations for safe driving. There's so many resources
[2350.6s] that are out there."
The NTSB is an organization that looks into transportation accidents and shares lessons learned. The host is using it as an example of a trustworthy source for safety advice.
The NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) investigates transportation accidents and publishes safety recommendations. Here, it’s mentioned as another credible source of guidance for safer driving.
"So whether it's slowing down, putting the phone away, or just giving yourself a little more time to get to where you're going, take something from this conversation and use it the next time you drive."
“Slowing down” reduces stopping distance and gives the driver more time to react to unexpected events. In safety messaging, it’s a key lever for preventing collisions when conditions or traffic change quickly.
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In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins, but the pregnancy
appeared to be a hoax.
It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern.
Two more men who'd been through the same thing.
My mind was blown.
I'm Stephanie Young.
This is Love Trapped.
As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences.
Listen to the Love Trapped podcast on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever
you get your podcasts.
We're on an alien because you can't buy enough parts for certain crisis and this one comes
under that heading in a single day.
You have to give them the vent and you give them the last eight digits of the vent and
all you hear is, wow, you got one of those?
What does that say?
The car doctor.
I replaced the radiator, the cooling fan, the condenser, and the housing on top of the
manifold.
Right, because the thermostat is not where people think it is, there's that black plastic
housing.
Right, it's at the bottom.
Welcome to the radio home of Ron and Anian, the car doctor.
Since 1991, this is where car owners the world overturned to for their definitive opinion
on automotive repair.
If your mechanic's giving you a busy signal, pick up the phone and call in.
The garage doors are open, but I am here to take your calls at 8555609900.
And now, here's Ronny.
You know, one of the things we talk about a lot on this program is how driving has changed.
Cars are smarter, roads are busier, and distractions are everywhere.
But the basics of safe driving, paying attention, anticipating what the other driver might do,
and making good decisions behind the wheel, well, those things really haven't changed.
Our next game is that reality every single day from the front lines of traffic enforcement.
If you spend any time on YouTube watching real-world traffic stops in driver education,
you may already know them, Friday with Frank videos produced by the Pinell County Sheriff's
Office in Arizona.
Joining us today is Deputy Frank Slope.
I am an avid fan.
I think I'm a little nervous, Frank.
This is like when Johnny Carson met Jackie Gleason, and we're going to spend some time
talking about driver awareness and some other things.
Deputy Slope, welcome to the car doctor, sir.
Absolutely.
Thank you so much.
Thanks for having me.
You know, for the listeners, Frank, that may not know you yet, just tell us a little bit
about your role with the Pinell County Sheriff's Office and how you got started in traffic
enforcement.
Well, I'm a 24-year veteran of law enforcement here in Arizona, and for every bit of those
24 years, I've been interested and intimately involved with traffic enforcement.
I just, for whatever reason, it just spoke to me early on in my career.
So especially with DUI enforcement, you know, looking for impaired drivers, I think it's,
you know, in the state of Arizona, and I'm sure it's the same for your listeners all
over the country.
Someone knows someone that's been affected by an impaired driver, you know, by a crash,
someone that's been arrested, someone knows someone that's been arrested or been involved
in a crash or had their life changed.
I was hit by an impaired driver off duty, you know, my personal vehicle a couple years
back.
I've got family members that have been hit by drunk drivers, so it's something near
and dear to my heart, and impaired driving enforcement has been something that I've been
really passionate about through the totality of my career.
My current role is, I work, I'm employed by the Pinell County Sheriff's Office, which
is, Pinell County is just south of Phoenix, just north of Tucson.
So we're, we're that, that county, we're 300 square miles smaller than the state of
Connecticut.
Wow.
So if you think about state of Connecticut, you know, kind of a rectangle state, Pinell
County, very similar in size and shape, and just a little bit smaller.
So pretty big county, very rural, and a lot of traffic issues here.
So I'm assigned to our full-time traffic unit, and I drive an aggressive driver car, so I'm
always looking for vehicles on the roadway that are moving, you know, whether they're
speeding, whether they're driving recklessly or aggressively, or they're impaired, or they're
involved in a collision, that's the kind of enforcement that I do here.
You know, some of the drivers, listen, I'm a fan, I've already said it, Friday's with
Frank, it's a great watch on YouTube, and the young driver, the young drivers are, are
they all knuckleheads, or is it just some of them?
The one kid that got pulled over in the Mustang for doing a hundred and something miles an
hour, and he's looking at you like, I'm going to get a ticket, you know, absolutely no
care.
What do you say to that?
Because they've got to realize at a hundred something miles an hour, the force of that
car hitting someone, something, another car, a brick wall, they're dead.
Yep.
Everyone's dead.
Yeah, the amount of, you know, in terms of collisions, you know, the collision sequence
or collision reconstruction, we always talk about the energy that comes into a collision
sequence, and the faster you go, the more energy that, that's involved in that, and the more
energy gets transferred upon a collision with another vehicle, and speed is, you know, speed
is, is the factor.
Speed is, is always seems to be the determining factor constantly, and if a, if a collision
is a non-injury collision, an injury collision, a fatal collision, and it just, I don't know
if it's, if it's a lack of, of, you know, understanding of repercussions in the cause
and effect of reckless and dangerous driving, I don't know what it is, and I would hate
to paint an entire generation with a broad brush.
But it's hard.
It's, it's got to be hard.
I mean, I, I've watched the videos, Frank, they, they, you know, you pulled them over,
they don't have a license, they don't have a registration, they don't have an insurance
card, they give you a passport sometimes, they give you some form of ID or they have
nothing on them.
Well, I was just going to the store for milk, and you find out they were going in the opposite
direction.
It's some cockamamie story, and they're doing 80, 90, 100 miles an hour.
Absolutely.
And, and they've got to understand the consequences of that.
Are, are, you know, what surprises people?
What surprises you?
You know, what's the, you know, what's the best, like, oh my gosh, story that, that would
maybe make people wake up so that they drive better?
What can you tell them?
Boy, it is, it, we just, we just, two weeks ago, right here in the middle of Santan Valley,
which is the, the largest, well, I guess recently incorporated area of Santa, of Pinal County
is Santan Valley, and the Sheriff's Office currently is responsible for patrolling that.
And we had a 17-year-old girl, the crash happened at 7-11 in the morning, and school
started at 7-15, and she was late for school.
She was 92 miles an hour at the time of impact of the collision in a posted 35 mile an hour
residential street, and she was just late for school.
And she absent, not a fatal collision, but she absolutely changed the trajectory of her
life in that collision, seriously injured, flown to a, you know, to a local hospital
for, for very serious medical conditions, and the injuries that resulted in that crash.
I mean, 92 miles an hour, no one on a, on a surface street expects to have a vehicle
coming out them at nearly triple the posted speed limit.
And there's no way to anticipate that.
And someone made a left turn in front of her, and that was it.
Are the, are the cars, I don't want to say more powerful today, but is it easier to speed
because you don't, you're so separate from the feel of the road?
You know, I have a friend with a 66, real 66 GT 350 Mustang, right?
Shelby, I should say, Jimmy would shoot me if I said Mustang.
Jimmy, I'll tell you, when you drive blue, you, you're, you're driving that car, that car is
driving you, but you get in a modern day car, you kind of lose that sense of the road, right?
You do, you do, and we have, we actually have, we have two 5.0 Mustang GTs in the aggressive
driver unit. So that, uh, we're bought on an aggressive driver grant through the state of
Arizona. So I, it's got the, you know, the glass pack, it's the, got the Roush stage two package
in it. It's a, it's really, I mean, it's a great, incredibly fast car that is not a police car.
It is a car that is available to the general public. It's, you can order one from Ford and
have it delivered and drive it around. And that car is scary, powerful.
Right.
I mean, I mean, I drive for a living, you know, as the majority of law enforcement officers do,
you know, we just spend our entire day behind the wheel of a car, you know, and watching traffic
and traffic patterns and how vehicles move on the roadway and driving that is, you have to have an
unbelievable level of respect and maturity to drive that vehicle because it could get away
from you. Like you said, so easily with how powerful these vehicles are these days, it is,
I think it's just people just don't understand the, the power and the capability of these vehicles.
They can get, they can get themselves into trouble so fast.
Are they more distracted today, Frank? You've been, you've been doing traffic law enforcement
for so long, you know, is there too much going on inside the car other than driving?
I absolutely think so. I absolutely 100%. I mean, you know, we, we take collisions every day
all across, I mean, all across the country, this isn't just an Arizona thing or a Pinal
County thing. But I mean, you know, I mean, obviously cell phones, distracted driving is,
is such a huge deal right now. But I mean, how technologically advanced cars are,
you know, between GPS and, you know, whatever entertainment system and,
you know, being able to have Google or Alexa or, you know, your iTunes or, you know, whatever,
whatever it is that you can access through your car now. I think there's, there's just so many
distractions in the, you know, that are, that are right in front of you as you drive that it,
it's like the last thing people do is look through their windshield, they're looking at everything
else in the car. We're going to pull over, take a pause. When we come back, I want you to think
about this question. If you could change one driving habit overnight for everyone on the road,
what would it be? What would you like to get them to stop doing? Don't answer it.
You stop and think about that. We'll be back after this. I'm Ron Anini and the car doctor here
with Deputy Slope from the Pinell County Sheriff's Office. We're talking traffic safety and
enforcement and how to be safer in your car. We'll be back right after this.
In 2023, former bachelor star Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal.
The family court hearings that followed revealed glaring inconsistencies in her story.
This began a years-long court battle to prove the truth.
You doctored this particular test twice in cell insurance, correct?
I doctored the test once.
It took an army of internet detectives to crack the case.
I wanted people to be able to see what their tax dollars were being used for.
Sunlight's the greatest disinfectant.
They would uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing.
Greg Gillespie and Michael Marantini. My mind was blown.
I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trap.
Laura Scottsdale Police.
As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences.
Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at Maricopa County,
as Laura Owens has been indicted on fraud charges.
This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona.
Listen to Love Trap podcast on the iHeart radio app,
Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hey there, this is Josh from Stuff You Should Know,
with a message that could change your life.
The Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring podcast playlist is available now.
Whether Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods yet or not,
the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring playlist will make you want to get your
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on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
It's the little lonely from Pasadena.
He drives that way, but when it comes to fixing cars, Ron has car advice done right.
855-560-9900. Here's Ron.
Hey, we came back. I'm on an Indian the car doctor. I'm here with officer,
I'm sorry, deputy, Sheriff Frank Slope, right? I, you know, I have officer on my mind,
I just, but I apologize, Frank. Deputy Frank Slope from the Pinell County Sheriff's Office,
and you know, we left you with the one question, Frank. The one driving habit overnight for everyone
on the road, what would it be that you could make them, what would you get them to stop doing?
What are they doing wrong? It's a hard 50-50 between speeding and driving while they're
distracted. I really, I mean, we see so many collisions that are preventable
from distracted driving. I mean, people just looking at their phones.
I mean, that's it, texting and driving, watching YouTube, TikTok, you know, I mean,
I don't even want them watching Fridays or Frank when they're driving. And yeah, that's a big ask.
But that's, I really think that that's it. I think in today's day and age,
you know, probably probably in the last 10 years, that's, we've seen some absolutely
hellacious crashes that were the result of someone not looking through their
six foot wide windshield, but looking at a much smaller window on their phone.
You know, I see people while I'm commuting, I'm, you know, 287 here in New Jersey, and
you look over at the guy next to you, he's watching, he's watching his phone,
he's watching TV basically while he's driving. Yep. Absolutely. I absolutely believe it.
And I think there's a number somewhere that, you know, at the difference between being distracted
at 20 miles an hour versus 60 miles an hour for a second, there's an exponential curve of, you
know, your reaction time and how much easier it is to get into trouble that, you know, it's,
you just don't want to do it. So, you know, is it, is it we want to practice more defensive
driving? Do we want to anticipate the other driver? Are there warning signs that we think,
I mean, we all, you know, curse and jump up and down and go, that guy drives like, you know,
he's terrible. Yep. You know, what are the things you see people doing? What tips you off? If somebody's
not speeding, how do you know they're distracted? And a lot of it, you know, as you're driving down
there, and again, you know, I drive down the road and I watch the movement of vehicles on the roadway.
So it's, you know, I kind of, I do it for a living. So it comes second nature, but we've all,
in any capacity, been driving down the road and looked at someone went, I bet that guy's drunk.
You know, you just, you see him making abrupt, you know, like you said, he's looking at his phone,
he's distracted, almost hit something, you know, sees a, you know, an abrupt wheel movement or
vehicle movement, drifting out of their lanes, almost side swipes another car, driving really
slow. You go, man, what's going on with that? And you pull up next to him. And like you said,
sure is the sunshine and today, you know, they get up next to him and there they are looking at
their phone, you know, fussing around with something, watching videos, whatever it is.
And it is just, and I think that as we see that, and we see that potential for someone that's
driving distracted, I think creating distance between them, you know, letting them get off in
front of you and let them go about your way, but not certainly not trying to get, you know,
stay in close proximity to them where their distraction could be the catalyst of a collision.
Is it effective to report them? If I see somebody driving erratically speeding, whatever,
as long as I can get the plate, I generally will call it in, you know, say, hey, so-and-so,
look out for the, you know, gray, whatever, you know, plate one, two, three, four, five,
six. Is that effective? Do the police want that or are we bothering them in a sense? Because
how many of these do they get in a day? I like ones that are really good, you know. I mean,
someone drifts out of their lane one time. I don't want everyone calling the cops saying, hey,
this guy just drifted out of his lane. But, you know, if you're, like you said, you're driving
down the road, you just happen to be traveling in the same direction and you're watching the guy
in front of you for two or three miles and he's bouncing from one lane to another, you know,
drives off the road into the dirt. Yeah, absolutely. I think that person absolutely needs to be called
in. So, you know, you're in Jersey, New Jersey State Troopers are awesome. You guys have a great
state police there, you know, say, hey, I got a vehicle, you know, northbound and it is all over
the road. If nothing else, even if the person is stone cold sober and just distracted or maybe
they're drowsy, you know, maybe they're having a medical issue is all sorts of issues that
cause really poor driving that aren't, you know, that aren't nefarious. Right. But having that
person contacted by law enforcement might change their mind about, man, someone called me and
there's a drunk driver, you know, and I'm not a drunk driver. I'm just, you know, so cold sober,
but maybe I shouldn't be having my nose in my phone while I'm driving down the road.
You know, so that could be a catalyst of change for someone simply having contact with law enforcement.
And try and get the plate, obviously the color of the vehicle, which way we're going,
maybe mile marker, mile marker is always a good one, right?
Yeah, mile markers, intersections, we get them a lot here, you know, where it's like, hey, we're at
this intersection and we're heading in this direction. Okay, right. You know, and a lot of
law enforcement officers or agencies dispatchers will say, hey, don't follow the car. A lot of times,
she's like, look, I'm driving down the road. I'm going home. You know, he just happens to be in
front of me, but this guy's going to kill someone if he crosses the center line. Might want to get a,
you know, get a deputy sheriff, get a trooper, get a, you know, get a police officer out here
and, you know, and contact them and, you know, make sure this guy's okay to drive.
Well, and I see that because the decisions we seem to be making behind the wheel,
as you said earlier in our conversation, that young girl that was 17 doing 92 in a school zone,
you know, she's changed, she's changed her life forever and it's over in a blink,
in the blink of an eye. You know, around here, we like to say the road downhill is paved with ice
and once you get going, it's a real slippery slope and it just accelerates. Like a well oiled
Frank. You know, yeah. You know, I liked, I look at some of the things that the younger drivers get
into, not as you say, paint the whole generation with that brush, but the drivers that are driving
with no license and mom's sitting next to him. And mom's like, well, he's driving on my license.
Well, no, he's not. That's not the way, it's not the way the law works. Right. You know, and I think
that's something that the younger generation has to realize. I always say when it comes time to
picking a vehicle for that, for this generation, I always like to put them in something and I lock
brakes, you know, full seatbelts, airbags and the least amount of technology because the less
distracted they are, the safer they are because I want them to come home. Absolutely. I want them
to come home. So, hey, Frank, we're going to pull over when we come back. I want to talk a little
bit about when you get pulled over for, you know, maybe something simple, maybe something really
ugly. What's the best way to do that? You know, what can we do to make the officer feel more
comfortable? What's the best way, you know, for us to be safe? So, you know, a lot of things can
happen there. So you sit tight. Think about that. I'm Ron Anini in the car doctor. I am here with
Deputy Frank Slope from the Pinell County Sheriff's Office. We'll return right after this. Don't go away.
Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal. The family court hearings that
followed revealed glaring inconsistencies in her story. This began a years-long court battle
to prove the truth. You doctored this particular test twice in so-and-so, correct? I doctored the
test once. It took an army of internet detectives to crack the case. I wanted people to be able to
see what their tax dollars were being used for. Sunlight's the greatest disinfectant.
They would uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing.
Greg Gillespie and Michael Marantini. My mind was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trap.
Laura Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences.
Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at American Copa County as Laura Owens has been indicted
on fraud charges. This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona.
Listen to the Love Trap podcast on the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your
podcasts. Hey there, this is Josh from Stuff You Should Know with a message that could change your
life. The Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring podcast playlist is available now. Whether
Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods yet or not, the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring
playlist will make you want to get your overalls on, get outside, and get your hands in the dirt.
You can get the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring playlist on the iHeart radio app,
Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Well, if you've been listening up to this point, or maybe you're just joining us,
this is Ron Anani and the car doctor. I am here with Deputy Frank Slope of the
Pinell County Sheriff's Office. And we're talking a lot of different things with
regarding how you're driving your automobile, the things you may or may not be doing wrong,
what to watch for when you're driving. And when we pulled over for the pause, Frank,
I left you with a question, right? We wanted to talk about you get pulled over,
something serious, something minor, whatever. What can people do maybe to, I don't want to
say get them out of the ticket, because I think if you did it, you did the crime,
you got to do the time. But how do we make the officer more comfortable?
I think a lot of it starts just immediately with the stop sequence. You look behind you,
red and blues, immediately start looking for somewhere safe to pull over. Don't dynamite
your brakes. You don't have to pull over within five feet of when you see the red and blues.
But find somewhere close. Find somewhere that's safe for you to stop, safe for the officer to stop.
Acknowledge that they're behind you. Maybe put your flashes on, maybe decrease your speed.
Once you find somewhere, if there's a road right down the road, aside street, turn in there,
maybe turn into a parking lot. If you're going to pull over on a shoulder, if there's a dirt
shoulder and you can get off the road on a highway, that's even better.
But get to the right, right? I've seen a couple of the Fridays with Frank.
They pull over into the middle of the highway and the high speed lane, the fast lane to the left
that I'm like, knucklehead city. Yeah, if people are going by at the fastest speed,
that's why you pull to the right because the car is on the right-hand side of going the slowest on
the road. So you want to pull to the right? Once your car comes to a stop, put your windows down,
turn in interior light on, keep your seatbelt buckled. Don't take your seatbelt off because
then officer walks up, you're not wearing your seatbelt. Now you have to have this argument
about, yeah, I was wearing my seatbelt, but I took it off. Leave your seatbelt on,
put your hands on the steering wheel, wait for the officer to come up. They're going to introduce
themselves. They're probably going to ask you for your driver's license, your registration and
current proof of insurance, having all of those, knowing where they are. I play a game all the
time on the side of the road with people and that game is what's the password to get into my
insurance policy app. So be familiar with that, be familiar with how to get into your app,
where your ID cards are within the app, where your registration paperwork is.
You don't necessarily have to have a conversation with them. You can. Some officers might tell you
why they pulled you over, others might not. It's not really required. So a lot of it was
kind of follow the lead of the officer. Is it the duty of the officer to educate or just
issue the ticket or is that the officer's choice? I believe it's on every stop, there's
some level of education is going to happen. And a lot of times it depends on the officer.
I gave a lot more education when I wasn't in the traffic unit. I issue a lot more citations now
because it's my job to change behavior with the issuance of traffic citations. That is part of
my job and it is a mantra that my boss very aggressively believes in. But I educate every
single day, I pull someone over, I don't write them a ticket for something and I educate them on
some nuance of Arizona Motor Vehicle Law that they're not aware of. And I did that a lot when I
was just a regular patrol deputy. I would stop people for the most innocuous violations,
simply to let them know like, hey, you can't take your tail lights. That's in Arizona,
that's illegal. You have to have both of the lights that are equipped on each side of your
license plate need to be functioning when the sun's down. You can't drive with your handicap
placard hanging from your window, hanging from your rear view mirror. It obstructs your view
through your windshield and it actually says it on the top of the handicap placard. It says,
remove people driving. So I'll stop people for stuff like that all the time just to give them
a warning for it and just say, hey, you might not know this, but here's a bit of education.
And here's how to stay safe and get to where you're going. Have you ever had the... I have to
ask this question. Have you ever had the guy who's speeding and he's going to the hospital
and she's in the backseat having the... Have you ever had to bring them? I'm really having a baby
thing? I had a woman and she was... I drove at a legal speed to the hospital and because I wanted
to make sure that she was going to have a baby, because if not, I was going to arrest that guy
for false information. But yeah, we got there, took to the emergency room. She had a baby there
and I let him off with a break for speeding. But yeah, very early on in my coming, I was
probably less than one year on when I had that happen. I think I was a kid and this is crazy
and it hasn't happened since. So you haven't delivered any babies? I have not delivered a baby.
Could you? Oh, absolutely. Yeah, I was in EMT during a portion of my career,
so I've got all sorts of good stuff for that. So when somebody gets pulled over and the interior
light doesn't go on if it's dark out, if it's at nighttime and the windows don't go down and their
hands aren't on their steering wheel, is it automatic with an officer? Frank, is it automatic
with you? Do you handle that differently? Is there a level? Is it DEF CON 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, or do you go right? Because you've got to be safe. You don't know what to expect at this
point. Maybe it's two o'clock in the morning, maybe it's two o'clock in the afternoon, but it's
not going the way you expect it. Absolutely. And yeah, it definitely makes the hair on your next
stand up. And especially when a window doesn't come down, it's the worst when the driver's
side door flies open, because that's how a lot of bad scenarios start. So it's definitely,
it certainly puts you not as much at ease as it would be if, like I said, all of the other
aforementioned things happen, windows go down, light comes on, persons just sitting there with
their hands on their steering wheel, waiting for you to come up. But sometimes you window
doesn't roll down. And that's fine. That's not a big deal. Keep your hands on the steering wheel.
When the officer walks up, he's obviously going to see you with your hands on your steering wheel,
and you can motion like, hey, my window doesn't go down. But then he sees that your hands,
you don't have a weapon, and then you can slowly open the door and say, hey, my window doesn't go
down, but I didn't want to jump out of my car. Just having that conversation puts an officer at ease,
because then they understand that when the door comes open, that it's not
an act of aggression, simply an act of, hey, this is a better way to communicate with you,
my window doesn't roll down. Listen, you have the problem, because
I've watched the videos Fridays with Frank. Are you Frank from Fridays with Frank?
All the time, every day. And you've given them a ticket,
worse, I've seen a couple where you've had to take the car, and they still want to get their
picture taken with you. And what does that do to you? How does that affect your head?
It's the most humbling experience of my life. It's great. I have some of the most positive
interactions with people on traffic stops. Still I do my job, still I'm holding people
accountable and making them drive safer. But I have some of the greatest conversations,
interactions with people on the side of the road, even whether they get a ticket or not.
That doesn't seem to matter, but I take just as many pictures with people
that I write tickets to as I give warnings to. One of the things I see you doing,
I don't know if this is a Pinell County thing in our last minute for this segment,
if this is a Pinell County thing or if it's nationwide, I don't have that experience.
But you'll look to see, hey, we pulled this guy over three weeks ago,
or we haven't pulled this guy over in five years. Does that alter how you handle that stop?
It does. We have an internal database, so I can see people that have been contacted by other
members of the Sheriff's Office. If you live here in this jurisdiction and you've lived here for
10 years, and this is the first time that you've been pulled over, I am way more likely to give
you a warning than if you've lived here for three years and you've been stopped four or five times.
Right. Right.
Because then you're not getting the message. You're not understanding that we're out here.
We're trying to keep people safe. We're trying to lower people's speed so that
even if they do get into a collision that it's not as bad, gives you more reaction time, slower
that you go, all these things that we're trying to help society as a whole be safer. When you're
out there getting contacted once or twice a year, I'm definitely going to impress upon you the
importance of driving slowly. How do you say it on YouTube? You're coming down from the mountain
of right, but their level of education is an uphill climb. I forget the exact way.
Those people are in the valley of wrong.
Rally of wrong. That's it. Yeah.
We try to stay on the mountain of right as much as we can.
Yep. Hey, Frank, we're going to pull over real quick and come back for our last segment. When
we do, I want you to think about if there's something you can give to the listeners in
terms of a message, what can they do to become better, safer drivers other than, you know,
slowing down in the obvious stuff? If you could alter their driving habit by one way,
what would it be? And we'll leave that with you for the second. I'm Ronanini in the car
doctor. We're here with Deputy Frank Slope from the Pinell County Sheriff's Office and we'll return
right after this.
It took an army of internet detectives to crack the case.
I wanted people to be able to see what their tax dollars were being used for.
Sunlight's the greatest disinfectant.
They would uncover a disturbing pattern. Two more men who'd been through the same thing.
Greg Gillespie and Michael Marantini. My mind was blown.
I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trap.
Laura Scottsdale Police. As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences.
Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at America Copa County as Laura Owens has been indicted
on fraud charges. This isn't over until justice is served in Arizona.
Listen to Love Trap podcast on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Hey there, this is Josh from Stuff You Should Know with a message that could change your life.
The Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring podcast playlist is available now.
Whether Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods yet or not, the Stuff You Should Know
ThinkSpring playlist will make you want to get your overalls on, get outside, and get your hands
in the dirt. You can get the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring playlist on the iHeart radio app,
Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
While we're coming down to the end, Ronanini and the car doctor here with
Deputy Frank Slope of the Pinell County Sheriff's Office. If you've been listening
to us this whole hour, we're talking traffic safety, driving better, driving smarter,
you know, how to get from A to B in a safe, proper manner, right Frank?
That's it. And if you could, you know, you got three tips, what can they do right away to become
better drivers? Well, I think the first thing is just be a better human, you know, be more patient,
be more forgiving, you know, slow down a little bit as far as being in a rush all the time. Give
yourself a little bit of extra time and just enjoy the drive. I mean, I really, I say that to
people. We've got some incredibly scenic areas out here in Pinell County. And I tell people,
like, look around and just enjoy the drive, enjoy the mountains, enjoy what you're looking at that's
around your car. And, you know, don't be in such a rush just to, you know, blow down the road as
fast as you can. So I think that's one of the big things. I think turning, let me tell you,
talk about safety. It is, we see so, so many collisions happen while vehicles are turning
left. And actually, the collision I told you about with that girl going 92 and a 35, she
collided into someone that made a left turn in front of her. So I'm telling you, left turns in
intersections, left turns, you know, with lights where, you know, you think a person's gonna stop,
you make your left, they decide to blow through the light. Boom, there's a collision. That's,
that's one of the biggest things. So there's, there's a sequence at an intersection, right,
Frank? You're supposed to look left, right, left before you make that left turn. Yep. That's it.
Yeah. And it's, again, they're distracted by something. They're in a rush. They're trying to
beat the light there, you know, whatever it may be, where they don't, you know, they, they don't
take the time to clear the intersection, to be a good defensive driver. And I think that's,
that's the, the number one thing is if you're a defensive driver, a lot of people on motorcycles
drive very defensively, you know, and I mean, I work with a squad of guys that ride motorcycles
for a living. And, and they said, man, you got to be out there like everyone is trying to run you
over. Right. And you need to look at every single driver. I look at drivers, even more than looking
at cars. I look at drivers to see if they seem, because you can see if someone's distracted in
a car. And that's a big one. Yeah. What advice, you know, parents trying to teach their kids how
to drive, you know, what do you think? Should they hire a driving instructor? Is that easier?
Yeah. Right. Absolutely. And I'll tell you why. It's because a driving instructor couldn't say
the same exact thing that mom or dad would say, but it's going to be received differently because
it didn't come from mom or dad. Right. I'm telling you right now, get a, get a driving instructor,
someone that does it for a living, that explains things for a living. Have them watch Fridays
with Frank, you know, especially if you're you're here in Arizona and you know, you want to know
more about Arizona Motor Vehicle Law, you know, finding, finding things like there's so much
education right now on the internet. That's good quality education. The feds put out a ton of really
good stuff about safe driving. NITSA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NTSB does
you know, they have all sorts of recommendations for safe driving. There's so many resources
that are out there. Parents just need to get out and really look for them. Our guest this hour has
been Deputy Frank Slope of the Pinell County Sheriff's Office. You'll see him on YouTube,
Fridays with Frank, right, is the easiest way. If there's a website, Frank, what is it? What can
we send the listeners to to get more information about safe driving overall? Well, Pinell County
Sheriff's Office on either just the internet, go to Google, search Pinell County Sheriff's Office.
On Facebook, Pinell County Sheriff's Office, that's where you find Fridays with Frank.
And then also, they're also on YouTube, Instagram, they're on TikTok. And we put out all sorts of
great stuff on not only on safe driving, but just on safety in general. We really, we have great
contact with the community. Unless you want to do it the hard way and try speeding through
Pinell County, and you will meet Deputy Frank Slope, I guarantee you. I'll find you.
Yeah, he'll find you. So Frank, it's been an absolute pleasure, sir. We're going to do this
again real soon. You be well. That sounds great. Thank you so much for having me.
You're very welcome. I'm Ron and Amy in the car doctor. We are back right after this.
In 2023, former bachelor star Clayton Eckerd found himself at the center of a paternity scandal.
The family court hearings that followed revealed glaring inconsistencies in her story.
This began a years long court battle to prove the truth. You doctored this particular test
twice in so and so, correct? I doctored the test once. It took an army of internet detectives
to crack the case. I wanted people to be able to see what their tax dollars were being used for.
Sunlight's the greatest disinfectant. They would uncover a disturbing pattern.
Two more men who'd been through the same thing. Greg Gillespie and Michael Maranchini. My mind
was blown. I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trap. Laura Scottsdale Police. As the season
continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Ladies and gentlemen, breaking news at Maricopa
County as Laura Owens has been indicted on fraud charges. This isn't over until justice is served
in Arizona. Listen to Love Trapped podcast on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts,
or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, this is Josh from Stuff You Should Know,
with a message that could change your life. The Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring podcast
playlist is available now. Whether Spring has sprung in your neck of the woods yet or not,
the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring playlist will make you want to get your overalls on,
get outside, and get your hands in the dirt. You can get the Stuff You Should Know ThinkSpring
playlist on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
All right, as we say goodbye to Deputy Frank Slope, the Nunk County Sheriff's Officer. Again,
I want to thank him for his time. He's a busy, he's a real world police officer, folks, and he's a
busy guy. He was at the range. He was just coming off the range, and he sat there and talked to us
to give us that interview. And we appreciate the time he took to do that. And that's his dedication
to the craft, like so many of our men and women out there in law enforcement. They all do a great
job, and Frank's a great example of that. If you've spent any time watching his videos,
or you were listening to this whole conversation, you've got to realize pretty quickly,
this isn't about traffic stops or writing tickets. I mean, it is, but it isn't. This is
about awareness, and that's really what we set out to do today, to just try and make you more
aware. It's about decision making. And it's really, it's about respect. Slow down, like he said,
respect the road, respect for the law, respect for the people around you. If we're all better
humans, maybe we can make the place a little bit better. We all get behind the wheel thinking
we're in control, but you know, it only takes a second, a bad choice, a moment of distraction,
everything changes. And that's the really the part that sticks with me, to talking with Deputy
Slope. So whether it's slowing down, putting the phone away, or just giving yourself a little
more time to get to where you're going, take something from this conversation and use it the
next time you drive. I really appreciate all of you, Deputy Slope. I really appreciate the time
you took to join us today. Drive safe, take care of each other, and we'll see you the next time.
I'm Ron Ananey and the car doctor reminding you, good mechanics aren't expensive. They're priceless.
In 2023, Bachelor star Clayton Eckerd was accused of fathering twins, but the pregnancy appeared to
be a hoax. You doctored this particular test twice in a cell, correct? I doctored the test once.
It took an army of internet detectives to uncover a disturbing pattern.
Two more men who'd been through the same thing.
I'm Stephanie Young. This is Love Trapped.
As the season continues, Laura Owens finally faces consequences. Listen to the Love Trapped
podcast on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Watch as we honor the biggest stars from all genres of music that you loved listening to
all year long on your favorite iHeart radio station and the iHeart radio app.
Icon Award recipient John Mellencamp, Innovator Award recipient Miley Cyrus,
with performances by Alex Warren, Kailani, Lainey Wilson, Ludacris, Ray, TLC, Salt and Kappa, and Invoke.
Plus, Taylor Swift makes her first award show appearance this year.
Also, Gold Medal Olympian Alyssa Lu, Neo, Nick Colesher-Zinger, Nikki Glaser, Sombra,
Weezer, and more. Watch live on Fox, Thursday, March 26th, at 8-7 central. And listen on iHeart
radio stations across America and the free iHeart app.
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