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Tag: OTS

  • Citrus Heights police focus on ending distracted driving

    Citrus Heights police focus on ending distracted driving

    Police car lights, light bar. Citrus Heights Sentinel. Photo by Luke Otterstad
    Police lights, stock photo. // Citrus Heights Sentinel

    Updated April 22, 8:17 p.m.–
    As part of a month-long nationwide campaign to reduce distracted driving, Citrus Heights police said they are participating in focused educational and enforcement activities throughout April — including several “zero tolerance” days.

    “The purpose of the campaign is to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving in an attempt to change behavior and save lives, not just in April but also year-round,” police said earlier this month in a written press statement authored by Traffic Sgt. Bryan Fritch.

    The statement broadly defined distracted driving as “any activity that could divert a person’s attention away from the primary task of driving.” Specified driving distractions listed by police include texting, using a cellphone, eating and drinking, talking to passengers, grooming, reading, using a navigation system or map, watching a video, or adjusting a radio or MP3 player.

    Police said distracted driving is an ongoing problem, citing the rise in smartphone use as a contributing factor. Text messaging was also highlighted by police as “by far the most alarming distraction,” due to the amount of attention required by the driver. The current cost of a texting-and-driving ticket in Sacramento County is believed to be $162, according to Attorney Ed Smith, who operates the website www.AutoAccident.com.

    “Zero tolerance” days were announced for April 7 and April 20, where police said officers would be “especially vigilant” in their goal to reduce distracted driving.

    2014 statistics cited by police from the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show 18 percent of people injured in motor vehicle collisions involved distracted drivers. The statistics also show 3,179 people lost their lives in 2014 in distracted driving collisions nationwide, although police believe that total is likely higher due to such crashes often being difficult to prove.

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    Police said the purpose of the campaign “is not to write as many citations as possible,” but also stated “sometimes citations are necessary for distracted drivers to understand the importance of focusing on their driving.” According to www.distraction.gov, more than 660,000 drivers use hand-held cellphones on the road “at any given daylight moment” across the United States.

    As part of April’s “National Distracted Driving Awareness Month,” the NHTSA is also conducting a television campaign with the message “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” California’s Office of Traffic Safety is also participating with public service announcements and a “Silence the Distraction” social media campaign.

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  • CHPD seeks to reduce fatalities with $236k traffic safety grant

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    File photo, Citrus Heights Police Department Traffic Unit trailer. // CHSentinel

    The Citrus Heights Police Department announced last week it was awarded a $236,190 grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to help fund a year-long program of safety-related efforts, including DUI checkpoints and distracted driving enforcement.

    In a news release issued Tuesday, Lt. Jason Russo said grant funds will be used to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries, citing an alarming rise in roadway fatalities on Citrus Heights streets — with five deaths this year so far, compared to zero in 2014.

    “After falling dramatically between 2006 and 2010, the number of persons killed and injured in traffic collisions has been slowly rising,” the police statement reads. “Particularly alarming are recent increases in pedestrian and bicycle fatalities, the growing dangers of distracting technologies, and the emergence of drug-impaired driving as a major problem.”

    In an effort to combat these trends, police said grant funds will go toward public awareness and educational presentations, motorcycle safety and distracted driving enforcement, seat belt and child safety seat enforcement, and DUI checkpoints. The Department says anti-DUI efforts will also include “stakeout operations” to monitor the “worst-of-the-worst” repeat DUI offenders, and roving “saturation patrols” which specifically search for DUI drivers.

    The Department’s high-visibility anti-DUI efforts in the past have been aided by similar grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, receiving a $182,585 grant last year. In awarding this year’s grant, OTS Director Rhonda Craft said her agency’s goal is to achieve “zero deaths on our roadways,” and seeks “to create a culture of traffic safety” in Citrus Heights and around the state.

  • CHPD wins $182k grant for more DUI checkpoints, safety enforcement

    The Citrus Heights Police Department (CHPD) announced Tuesday it was awarded $182,525 in grant money for a one-year special enforcement and education program, aimed at reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries in the city.

    Stock photo, Citrus Heights police officers. Photo credit: Luke Otterstad
    Stock photo, Citrus Heights police officers

    “I am proud of our continued partnership with the Office of Traffic Safety,” said Lieutenant Ryan Kinnan in a press release, referring to past grants the local Department has received from OTS.

    CHPD says deaths and injuries fell significantly between 2006 and 2010 in Citrus Heights, but saw “slight increases” in 2011 and 2012. Kinnan is hopeful that “innovative strategies” funded by this latest grant will help reduce collisions and injuries in the city.

    In addition to anti-DUI efforts, the Department says grant funds will go toward public awareness and educational presentations, motorcycle safety and distracted driving enforcement, seat belt and child safety seat enforcement, as well as other traffic-related enforcement activities.

    Answering a common question about why the local Department goes out of its way to publicize DUI checkpoints ahead of time, CHPD Public Information Officer Anthony Boehle previously told The Sentinel that awareness efforts are about preventing drunk drivers from getting on the road in the first place.

    “DUI checkpoints are not intended to make arrests,” Officer Boehle said, explaining the more people know about heavy crackdowns on DUI’s, the less likely they are to attempt a drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. “It’s all about public awareness.”

    In contrast to the checkpoints, Boehle explained “DUI Saturation Patrols” — also funded by the grant money — have a much higher potential for making arrests, because of a difference in goals. While checkpoints may arrest a small number of drunk drivers, the officer said “Saturation Patrols” are deployed specifically to “hunt” for DUI drivers — adding that a single patrol car can make more arrests in one night, than a checkpoint can in the same time.

    The Department’s high-visibility anti-DUI efforts in the past have been aided by similar grants from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the latest funds are designed to work towards what OTS calls their shared vision: “Toward zero deaths, every 1 counts.”