Mar 23, 2007 4:18 pm US/Eastern
Putting The Brakes On Aggressive Drivers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
Beginning this weekend, a number of local police departments will launch a new initiative geared to put the brakes on aggressive drivers.
According to officials, aggressive driving played a role in more than half the state's traffic fatalities in 2005.
"The choice to be an aggressive driver can dramatically change your life and the life of others," Murrysville Police Chief Thomas Seefeld told reporters today. "Families should not have to suffer the trauma of losing a loved one because of acts of an aggressive driver."
Now some local departments are teaming up with PennDOT to curb this type of behavior on the region's roads
Under its "Smooth Operator Program," PennDOT will invest $2 million to help pay for both police training and overtime – as well as much needed equipment like infrared speed detectors.
"Our objective here is not to see how many tickets we can write," explains Cpl. Daniel Hahn of the Cranberry Township Police Department. "Our objective here is to get people to slow down and be more cognizant and pay attention to their driving and improve to reduce the crashes."
The initiative will provide highway safety resources to nearly 200 local and state police departments.
The first phase of enforcement is set to start this Sunday.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
