CARY POLICE TO CRACKDOWN ON AGGRESSIVE DRIVING ON u.s. 1 IN cARY THIS WEEK

CARY, NC – In an effort to maintain safe driving conditions, the Town of Cary Police Department will kickoff its quarterly aggressive driving campaign, entitled “Operation Patient Payoff”, on U.S. 1 from Walnut Street to U.S. 64/Tryon Road on Wednesday, March 28-March 29.  As part of the campaign, Cary Police are reminding motorists to allow three seconds to pass between their vehicle and the one in front of them, and Police will monitor motorists along the corridor to detect speeding, tailgating and lane change violations.

Motorists may see uniformed officers in their assigned Police vehicles during the campaign, as well as unmarked Police cars and motorcycles along the stretch of U.S. 1.  Officers’ vehicles will be equipped with Radar, VASCAR, and Lidar laser detection technologies to identify aggressive drivers.

“This operation is really about saving lives and protecting property through awareness and enforcement,” said Lt. Mark Parker.  “During the past year, approximately 40 percent of all crashes in the Town have been the result of following too closely. We hope that drivers will be patient and take on safer driving practices as a result of this campaign.”

To further help decrease the number of aggressive drivers, the Town has a “Road Watch” hotline for motorists to report aggressive driving at (919) 319-4521.  If numerous complaints are received for one particular area, the Police Department responds by increasing visibility on the street through patrols as well as radar trailers and speed sentries that display speeds to oncoming drivers.  For complaints on individual drivers, courtesy letters are sent reminding drivers of the need to slow down.

The campaign comes on the heels of a grant award from the N.C. Governor’s Highway Safety Program.  In the fall of 2006, the Cary Police Department received a grant award that funded two traffic safety team officers, along with two fully equipped vehicles, including radars.

The Town plans to continue the campaign this summer along other Town roads.  Because this effort is as much about awareness as enforcement, the corridors will be announced before at the start of each campaign.

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