TOM TANGNEY

What a broken taillight says about you

Aug 8, 2013, 1:05 PM | Updated: 2:03 pm

Check your taillights. If they're out - a police officer might suspect more than poor maintenance. (WSDOT Photo)

(WSDOT Photo)

The condition of your car might say more about you than you realize.

On a ride along with a Lakewood police officer for Evening Magazine, John Curley asked why – at 1 a.m. – the cop was going to pull over an otherwise seemingly innocuous car.

The taillight was out.

“And he said, often when a car is neglected, the general service of the car, it is a sign that there are other problems with the driver,” said KIRO Radio host John Curley.

The cop told John he suspected the driver had no insurance. Maybe a bench warrant had been issued for him. He might have some outstanding parking tickets.

So the officer makes the stop, gets out of the car, and spends about two or three minutes chatting with the driver.

When he comes back to the car, he closes the door and says “bingo!” to John.

So before you go driving around with a broken taillight, John and co-host Tom Tangney have a reminder: The broken taillight is the sign of the demise of the individual.

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What a broken taillight says about you