Date:
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Contact:
Angie Ward, Washington Traffic Safety Commission, (360) 753-0877 (Olympia)
Lt. Debby Ethredge, Washington State Patrol, (425) 308-5778 (Monroe)
Meghan Soptich, WSDOT Communications, (206) 440-4704 (Seattle)
MONROE – If you’re taking a trip on US 2 this summer, expect to see more law enforcement vehicles out on the highway. This Sunday marks the beginning of extra patrols targeting driver behaviors responsible for the most serious collisions on US 2: speeding, driving under the influence, tail-gating, and aggressive driving.
Patrols will take place all day Sunday on US 2 from Everett to Stevens Pass. Every law enforcement agency along the corridor will participate, including Washington State Patrol, Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office, Monroe Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sultan Police Department.
“The data doesn’t lie,” said Washington Traffic Safety Commission Acting Director Steve Lind. “We know what behaviors cause serious collisions on US 2 and that is where we will focus our enforcement efforts.” Extra patrols are funded by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
The goal of the corridor program is to reduce traffic deaths and injuries through a combination of low-cost engineering improvements, targeted enforcement patrols, and public education campaigns.
“It will be hard not to notice the increased presence of law enforcement along US 2,” said Captain Jim Lever of the Washington State Patrol. “We aren’t out there to surprise anyone. We want drivers to take personal responsibility to ensure a safer US 2 at all times.”
The corridor group decided to launch enforcement emphasis patrols this Sunday to increase the number of officers out on the highway during community events and high travel periods. The 12th Annual Old Snohomish Antique and Classic Motorcycle Show taking place this Sunday will increase traffic volumes, which can also increase the risk of collisions. Extra enforcement patrols will be held throughout the summer during holidays, festivals and days and times when collisions are more likely to occur.
For more information on the traffic safety corridor project, visit our Web site: http://www.us2drivesafe.org/.
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