Aggressive Drivers Response Team

From June 14th South Precinct Email Community Newsletter

Aggressive Drivers Response Team
The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration estimates that about one-third of all crashes and about two-thirds of the resulting fatalities can be attributed to aggressive driving. Hallmarks of aggressive driving includes excessive speed, frequent or unsafe lane changes, tailgating, disregarding traffic control devices, cutting off other drivers, obscene hand gestures as well as making threats or yelling profanities.

In early May, Mayor Greg Nickels and Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske announced the formation of a special traffic unit that will target aggressive and dangerous drivers on Seattle streets. The goal of the ten-member Aggressive Drivers Response Team (ADRT) is to improve pedestrian and driver safety across the city.

All of the members of the ADRT squad were selected from the Traffic Unit and are extensively trained in emergency vehicle operation. They target areas that are known for aggressive driving, including Rainier Avenue South. They will also work chronic community traffic complaints, school zone violations and conduct pedestrian emphasis.

The officers will be driving the latest addition to the Seattle Police Department fleet, the 2007 Dodge Charger, which are equipped with digital video cameras integrated with an onboard mobile data computer.


Night Out Against Crime 2007

“Night Out” is a national Crime Prevention event. It is designed to heighten crime prevention awareness, increase neighborhood support in anti-crime efforts, and unite our communities. It is a great chance to learn about crime prevention, while also celebrating your community and spending time with your neighbors. Night Out 2007 is Tuesday, August 7, 2007.

Now, you may be asking yourself, “What do aggressive driving and Night Out have to do with each other?” This year, the Seattle Police Department is encouraging Night Out participants to look at the issue of speeding and vehicular safety.

In the past year, we have seen a number of fatalities and accidents involving inattentive drivers and pedestrians. We’ve also seen a number of fatalities as a result of speeding. Rarely do we talk about speeding as a risk to our own or others personal safety. Yet, speeding reduces a driver’s ability to respond to or stop in emergency situations. Crash severity increases with the speed of the vehicle at impact and the effectiveness of restraint devices decline as impact speed increases. The probability of death, disfigurement, or debilitating injury grows with higher speed at impact.

Let’s spend a few moments during our Night Out celebrations to consider our own driving habits and how we might be contributing to this dangerous problem. Let’s make a pledge to not speed in our or anyone else’s neighborhood.

To register your block for Night Out Against Crime 2007 on line, please use the following link:
http://www.seattle.gov/police/nightout/. If you would like a member from our Aggressive Driving Response Team to stop by your event, please indicate that on your Night Out registration.

Until next time, Take Care and Stay Safe!

Mark Solomon, South Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator