State Patrol Initiates Major Crackdown On The Highways
DENVER (CBS4) – Colorado state troopers are increasing patrol on the roads as part of a campaign to keep traffic fatalities at zero.
Throughout Friday night the Colorado State Patrol posted pictures on social media showing troopers at work, pulling people over for a number of infractions.
The State Patrol has also been tweeting about their campaign. On Friday night they tweeted, "The concept is easy. Don't drink and drive ... our message won't change."
The agency also used social media to keep followers updated on their work. Its Colorado Springs division said, "Five intoxicated drivers taken off the streets before 10 p.m. Please use a designated driver."
Troopers say they will have "zero tolerance" over the entire weekend. CBS4's Stan Bush rode along with one trooper as he put the campaign into action. A truck sped by the trooper 10 miles over the speed limit. Some people might think that's within a reasonable amount of the speed limit, but this weekend it will earn a ticket.
"We're going to be looking for those dangerous driving behaviors and we're going to be looking for them strictly," Trooper Josh Lewis said.
State Patrol gave no reason for the bulk of enforcement this weekend, except to remind drivers they're out there and they'll be hard to miss. More than 700 troopers will be monitoring the roads across the state until Monday.
"Every uniform officer is going to be out on the street during this weekend in some shift or another, and that includes from the chief on down," Lewis said.
"We get a lot of people that really start driving aggressively on the roadway, using the shoulder to pass, backing up on the shoulder, backing up on the on-ramps; just trying to get around the traffic, when the safest thing to do is maintain your line of travel," Trooper Kenneth Hinz said.
Troopers say they won't tolerate even the slightest bad behavior. A green Chevy Tahoe was pulled over for driving out of a turn-only lane. Drivers with bad habits could be in for a rude awakening.
"Not using your turn signal -- all these things are things we want to correct. We want to make sure people understand they're dangerous driving behaviors are not going to be tolerated," Lewis said.
The State Patrol believes their efforts are working, saying in the last year there are fewer fatalities on the road and they've made fewer arrests for DUI.
