The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/70864
A-6 Wednesday, June 20, 2012 The Press-Dispatch Indiana State Police stepping up patrols due to accidents number of traffic accident fatalities is on the rise state- wide. Indiana State Police State troopers say the By Andrea Preston Evansville District on Thursday launched what it calls an aggressive 'Crash Reduction Enforcement Pro- gram' as part of a statewide effort to decrease fatalities on urban and rural roads. "It 's very frustrating ed driving. When a per- son stops at a stop sign and they're talking on their cell phone, they may look, and look to the left and to the right, but they don't neces- sarily see that car coming because they are distract- ed." ISP Capt. Danny Price, (only 184 deaths reported at this time last year). On urban roads, there are 93 deaths so far, a drop of four compared to this time last year. "We examined the crash when we continue to have traffic fatalities. And every time we investigate a fatal- ity, or another agency in- vestigates a fatality, we look to see what can be done. In a lot of those cases, its ei- ther a one-vehicle crash or someone pulling out in front of somebody," said ISP Sgt. Todd Ringle, a spokesman for the Evansville District, which includes Pike Coun- ty. "And again, a lot of that comes down to distract- supervisor of the Evans- ville, Jasper and Blooming- ton Posts, said the number of rural crashes, compared to urban crashes, is slightly lower and there is "no clear pattern of location for these fatal crashes is materializ- ing." The Indiana Criminal Jus- tice Institute's Traffic Safe- ty Division reports there were 281 traffic fatalities as of this time last year. So far this year, there have been 313—an increase of 32 over this point last year. Of those deaths, 220 have occurred on rural roads statistics over the last sever- al months and we were un- able to locate any particular location or stretch of road where these fatalities were occurring," Capt. Price said. "But what we did notice, is that there are a number of causation factors that seem to be prevalent in a majority of those fatalities." Those factors include: ence, those violations of- ten occur because of people who are inexperienced, im- driving off the right edge of the road and striking an ob- ject, failure to yield; disre- garding a traffic device; un- safe speed; and driving left of center. "We know from experi- paired, fatigued or even dis- tracted like talking on a cell phone, texting or even eat- ing a sandwich. So for the foreseeable future, we are going to increase efforts to locate those motorists who are committing those viola- tions," he said, adding that writing an increase in tick- ets isn't the specific goal of the new enforcement blitz. This program will use a combination of marked and traditional unmarked patrol cars, as well as non-tradi- tional stealth patrol vehicles inclusive of Ford Mustangs, aircraft patrols and state po- lice vehicles that look like INDOT work trucks that will concentrate their en- forcement efforts near con- struction zones. Sgt. Ringle said motorists can expect to see state po- lice on the highways, but al- so on rural roads through- out the district. VIDEO NETedition Exclusive supervisor of the Evansville, Jasper and Bloom- ington Posts, talks about the state police's new focus on curbing the rise in traffic deaths during a press conference Thursday at Tri-State Aero in Evansville. Andrea Preston photo. Right: Indiana State Police troopers take a few Above: Indiana State Police Capt. Danny Price, minutes to catch up before a press conference Thursday afternoon in Evansville. The state po- lice announced plans to embark on an aggressive traffic violation enforcement program aimed at curbing the rising number of traffic deaths state- wide. Andrea Preston photo. urday morning at the Winslow Flea Market. Brittain now lives in Celestine and was selling various tools. Winslow resident Paul Thompson and former resident Freddy Brittain catch up with each other Sat- Winslow flea market A Pike County Highway crew lays blacktop along CR250W last week. The road is being paved about a mile from the Cart Road south. Road paving underway READY. SET. GO! 814 Niblack Blvd, Vincennes • 1-800-743-7004 www.bairdhomesvincennes.com Providing Affordable Manufactured Homes Since 1947 • Homes by: Champion, Fortune, Dutch & Adventure TWO 1,600 sqft lot models must go! HURRY! THESE WILL SELL FAST! SAVE A MINIMUM OF $4,000 ONe 8-persON stOrm shelter left! $7,500 + Tax Installed!