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PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
According to 1995 collision rankings, developed
by the Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and the State Department of Finance,
the City of Modesto, California ranked 133rd out of 475 California cities
for total fatal and injury traffic collisions and 64th out of 475 cities
for alcohol-involved fatal and injury collisions. In 1995, alcohol-involved
fatal and injury collisions accounted for 6 percent of the total fatal
and injury collisions in Modesto.
Modesto's traffic crash problem was compounded by
a low rate of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests in 1995. The
city ranked 357th out of 475 cities, with only 396 arrests or 0.4 percent
of the driving population.
Seat belt and child safety seat compliance in Modesto
were extremely low in 1995, adding to a high traffic injury rate. Of
the 2,158 motor vehicle occupants injured in 1995, approximately 539
were not wearing seat belts; along with 44 percent of crash fatalities.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In an effort to address
the city's multiple traffic safety issues, the Modesto Police Department
implemented the Comprehensive Traffic Safety Program in 1997. Program
goals included:
- Reducing traffic collisions
through increased speed enforcement
- Reducing DUI as a primary
collision factor
- Increasing seat belt and
child safety seat use
- Providing a public information
and education campaign
To achieve these goals, Modesto
police developed the following objectives:
- Conduct saturation patrols
to achieve percentage reductions in traffic collisions and fatalities,
and increase the enforcement index of hazardous moving violations
- Conduct DUI checkpoints;
to increase arrests and reduce DUI as a primary collision factor
- Set up occupant safety
checkpoints to increase compliance rates and reduce injury collisions
- Assemble a community-based committee to develop
a public information and education campaign that includes a kick-off
press conference, printed materials, presentations and public service
announcements, in collaboration with the Keep Baby Safe program
for child restraint education and enforcement
STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Modesto Police Department Traffic Unit hired
four additional police officers and one Community Service Officer to
provide enforcement and staff support. These officers also served as
trainers for the entire department. As the officers conducted saturation
patrols, increased speed and DUI enforcement, they focused on high Primary
Collision Factor (PCF) violations to reduce fatal and injury collisions.
Certain patrol officers received training on current vehicle impound
procedures and laws. These officers assisted traffic officers conducting
DUI warrant services and special vehicle impound operations. Administrative
tow fees collected during this phase of the program helped it to become
self-sustaining.
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