CA - More police after speeders $500K grant aims to reduce driving accidents

More police after speeders
$500K grant aims to reduce driving accidents
By Jenifer Gee Journal Staff Writer
Speedy drivers beware: For the next year local cops will saturate the area for motorists driving faster than the limit.
With the help of a $587,280 grant from the state Office of Traffic Safety, the Auburn highway patrol office will pay for officers to work overtime on weekends to curb speeding on major Placer County roadways.
The Auburn CHP office will also work with CHP offices in Grass Valley, Gold Run and Yuba-Sutter as well as Auburn, Lincoln, Rocklin and Roseville police departments to patrol major roadways.
Starting this weekend, extra officers will work on overtime paid for through the grant to supplement work of patrol officers working on their regular schedule.
“The whole purpose of this is to reduce the number of victims injured in speed-caused collisions in the Auburn area,” said CHP spokesman David Martinez. “Our goal is to have zero fatalities between now and next year.”
Martinez said officers will focus on motorists driving on Interstate 80, highways 49 and 65 as well as Sierra College and Douglas boulevards, and Baseline and Auburn-Folsom roads.
Officers will also look out for any seatbelt violations.
“Excessive speed consistently causes a disproportionately large share of collisions,” said CHP Capt. Bill Donovan, commander of the Auburn Area office. “Enforcement efforts will specifically be targeted at reducing fatality and injury collisions.”
Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com.