TX - STEP starts on Friday

STEP starts on Friday

Posted: Thursday, August 20, 2009 6:46 PM EST Updated: Thursday, August 20, 2009 6:47 PM EST
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Nacogdoches Police Dept. Press Release
NACOGDOCHES, TX (KTRE) - The Nacogdoches Police Department will begin a traffic enforcement wave on August 21. The Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) will run for eighteen days through Labor Day, September 7.
The wave is designed to target traffic violators during the heavily traveled Labor Day holiday. The ultimate goal of the program is to reduce accidents and the severity of those accidents.
NPD Lt. Dan Taravella said the program is a statewide program and travelers will likely see a heavy presence of law enforcement almost anywhere in the state during those two and a half weeks. "STEP is conducted by municipal, county and state law enforcement agencies throughout the state. The likelihood of seeing extra officers out during these dates is very high. We are forewarning motorists not to increase their speed after they lose sight of an officer on the highway because there could likely be another one over the next hill."
"We want to slow people down enough so that in the event that there is the potential for an accident, motorists will have enough reaction time to avoid it. Slowing down even just a little bit will give a driver a better chance of avoiding a potential accident. We want to make the roads as safe as we can. Buckling up will also drastically increase one's chances of surviving an accident," Taravella said.
Drivers are also reminded of a few new state laws relating to traffic that will begin September 1, 2009, according to Taravella. "Begining September 1, 2009, the child seat law will expand to require children under eight years of age to use a child booster seat, unless they are already at least 4'9". Currently, only children under five years of age are required to do so. Also a new law will prohibit drivers from using cell phones in school zones.