Fatal traffic accidents have been declining year to year and, hoping to reduce them further, extra officers from five law-enforcement agencies are on the roads in Clark County for the rest of this month.
This time they’re focusing on speeders — and hitting the streets at undisclosed times when, depending on the area, more drivers are known to be speeding, said Trooper Steve Schatzel with the Washington State Patrol.
A hint: Those times won’t include congested rush hours on freeways, he said.
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Aug. 1, extra officers will be working overtime paid for by the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.
Taking part in the crackdown are WSP troopers, Clark County Sheriff’s Office deputies and police officers from Camas, Washougal and Battle Ground, according to a bulletin.
It’s a statewide effort with one of those blunt, catchy names, “Slow Down or Pay Up.”
Target Zero
Can you imagine a future year with no fatal — or even close — accidents in the entire state?
Traffic safety officials can, and they’ve given themselves 20 years to make it happen. The goal of the Target Zero plan is no traffic deaths or disabling injuries by the year 2030.
The official numbers of fatal traffic accidents in Washington in recent years show an encouraging trend: 581 in 2006, 537 in 2007, 509 in 2008 and 477 last year.
In fact, last year saw the fewest traffic deaths in Washington since 1955, even though road travel has increased five-fold, the bulletin said.
Safer roads and safer cars help, and so would safer drivers, which explains the police crackdowns.
In Clark County, 42 people died in speed-related collisions between 2004 and 2007, the bulletin said.
Officials consider speeding the No. 1 factor in fatal accidents involving both motorcycle riders and teenage drivers.
John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.
