StlouisX50
04-21-2009, 09:32 AM
WARWICK TWP., Pa. April 20, 2009 (WPVI) -- Pennsylvania State Police are now looking for lead-footed drivers on roads that never had this sort of attention before, its part of a crackdown on speeding and aggressive driving. Judging by the number of violations issued so far it's working.
Pennsylvania is still among the only states in the country where local police departments are not allowed to use radar guns to catch speeders.
Now though, there's a way around that. In Warwick, Bucks County, the police department is getting a little help from the Pennsylvania State Troopers.
State Troopers, unlike local police, are allowed to use radar guns. Warwick Police Chief Joseph Costello says the initiative started paying off almost immediately.
Story continues below (http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6771184#bodyText)
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"Within three hours there were 27 citations written for speeding on the highway, the highest being 72 miles per hour," said Chief Joseph Costello.
The chief says the speeder; caught going 72 was travelling on Old York Road where the speed limit is 45 miles per hour.
Action News spoke with some of the locals who say the plan, which particularly targets Routes 263 and 611, is sorely needed.
"It's atrocious. I sometimes babysit for my granddaughters in Doylestown and its uh just going up 611 and coming down it's horrible," said Mary Seader.
"There's a lot of accidents the fire trucks are going out all the time so it would be nice if they slow down and make everybody safe," said Donna Glatz.
State police officials sent a release saying the so-titled "Drive Safe PA" initiative is designed to target roads where there is, "a high propensity for aggressive driving-related crashes."
It's also intended to, "strengthen the public perception that traffic safety is a reigning law enforcement objective."
Chief Costello says the headline for commuters is:
"Slow down and drive safely."
Troopers are allowed out of their jurisdiction as long as they operate on a state road or of course on a major highway. Meantime local officials continue to lobby Harrisburg to allow local police to use radar.
Pennsylvania is still among the only states in the country where local police departments are not allowed to use radar guns to catch speeders.
Now though, there's a way around that. In Warwick, Bucks County, the police department is getting a little help from the Pennsylvania State Troopers.
State Troopers, unlike local police, are allowed to use radar guns. Warwick Police Chief Joseph Costello says the initiative started paying off almost immediately.
Story continues below (http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=6771184#bodyText)
Advertisement
"Within three hours there were 27 citations written for speeding on the highway, the highest being 72 miles per hour," said Chief Joseph Costello.
The chief says the speeder; caught going 72 was travelling on Old York Road where the speed limit is 45 miles per hour.
Action News spoke with some of the locals who say the plan, which particularly targets Routes 263 and 611, is sorely needed.
"It's atrocious. I sometimes babysit for my granddaughters in Doylestown and its uh just going up 611 and coming down it's horrible," said Mary Seader.
"There's a lot of accidents the fire trucks are going out all the time so it would be nice if they slow down and make everybody safe," said Donna Glatz.
State police officials sent a release saying the so-titled "Drive Safe PA" initiative is designed to target roads where there is, "a high propensity for aggressive driving-related crashes."
It's also intended to, "strengthen the public perception that traffic safety is a reigning law enforcement objective."
Chief Costello says the headline for commuters is:
"Slow down and drive safely."
Troopers are allowed out of their jurisdiction as long as they operate on a state road or of course on a major highway. Meantime local officials continue to lobby Harrisburg to allow local police to use radar.