What action may police take once a driver has been arrested according to New York v. Belton?

In the context of New York v. Belton, the ruling clarifies the authority of police officers to conduct searches following the arrest of a driver. Once a driver has been arrested, officers are permitted to conduct a warrantless search of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. This is based on the rationale that the arrestee could access the area within the reach of the passenger compartment and that potential evidence or weapons could be present there.

The court established that this principle applies to any containers found within the passenger compartment, reinforcing the idea that officer safety and the preservation of evidence justify such search actions at the time of arrest. This decision underscores the balance between individual rights and police authority to maintain safety and enforce the law effectively during interactions with arrestees.

In this case, other options may involve actions that do not directly pertain to the specific allowances established by the ruling in Belton, such as detaining a driver for further questioning or issuing citations, which do not directly relate to the search of the vehicle following an arrest.