MO - Columbia PD to do traffic enforcment around mall

COLUMBIA -- The holiday shopping season doesn’t officially start until after Thanksgiving.
That’s not stopping Columbia police officers from beginning a special traffic enforcement program to make sure drivers obey traffic laws near the Columbia Mall.
Additional officers are cracking down on shoppers driving at intersections along Stadium Boulevard from Broadway to the highway.
Police say the biggest problem is motorists blocking intersections.
That’s when a driver has a green light but gets stuck in the middle of an intersection because traffic never moved by the time the light turned red again.
“When you drive into the intersection, you just need to make sure that there is enough room for your vehicle to get all the way through it," said Sgt. Shelley Jones with Columbia Police's Traffic Division. "I know cars stop ahead of you, but if you just pause for a brief second, you’ll be able to tell if the cars are going to keep moving.”
The fine for blocking an intersection in Columbia is $75. The special holiday enforcement on Stadium Boulevard takes place between now and Christmas Eve.
Police report 44 accidents in intersections along Stadium Boulevard during that same period last year.