CARY POLICE to conduct OPERATION PATIENT payoff ON
n.c. 55 IN cARY TO CRACKDOWN ON AGGRESSIVE DRIVING

CARY, NC – In its continuing effort to maintain safe driving conditions, the Town of Cary Police Department will kickoff the sixth round of its quarterly aggressive driving campaign -- “Operation Patient Payoff” -- on N.C. Highway 55 near Catlin Road on Friday, June 27, 2008 from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.   As part of the campaign, Cary Police are reminding motorists to allow a distance of at least three seconds between their vehicle and the one in front of them; police will monitor motorists along the corridor to detect speeding, tailgating and lane change violations.

During the campaign, motorists may see both uniformed officers in their assigned Police vehicles, and unmarked Police cars and motorcycles along the section of N.C. 55.  Officers’ vehicles will be equipped with radar and LIDAR (laser detection technologies) to identify aggressive drivers.

“The safety and well-being of all of our citizens is of the utmost importance to the Cary Police Department.  Because the N.C. 55 corridor has been the site of many property damage crashes involving cars traveling at unsafe speeds or following too closely, we’ve chosen to monitor this area to remind motorists of the need to drive at a safe speed and following distance,” said Lt. Mark Parker. 

This is the third time in less than a year Police have monitored N.C. 55 as part of Operation Patient Payoff.  In March 2008, Police monitored N.C. 55 and issued 14 citations for speeding; 29 citations for speeding and other offenses were issued in September 2007. During the Operation Patient Payoff campaigns in March and June 2007, police monitored U.S. 1 from Walnut Street to Cary Parkway and issued 136 citations for speeding and other offenses.  In December 2007, Police issued 22 citations for speeding along U.S. 1 near Walnut Street .

To further decrease the number of aggressive drivers, the Town has established a “Road Watch” hotline at (919) 319-4521 for motorists to report aggressive driving.  If numerous complaints are received for one particular area, the Police Department responds by increasing visibility on the street through patrols, radar trailers and speed sentries that display speeds to oncoming drivers.  For complaints received on individual drivers not witnessed by the police, courtesy letters are sent reminding these drivers of the need to slow down.

The campaign comes in part from 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, and with two fully equipped vehicles, including radars.

Additional campaigns are planned for later in 2008.  Because this effort is as much about awareness as enforcement, the corridors will be announced at the start of each campaign.

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