|
|
|
The Traffic Safety Unit shall be a dedicated and honorable team that works hard to achieve its goals. The Unit will be responsible for investigating all serious and fatal motor vehicle accidents that occur within the Department’s jurisdiction. The Unit Coordinator will be responsible for the investigation of all Department involved / police related crashes. The Unit will promote safe roadway use by everyone regardless of their age, race, sex, and ethnic origin. The Unit will perform these services in an efficient and effective manner. |
|
Strategy: Road traffic law sets the framework for using the roads safely. Enforcing the law is an essential part of reducing road casualties. The TSU accepts this pivotal role to improving road safety by enforcing traffic law. Selective Enforcement will address those offenses which are considered to be major contributory factors in crashes involving personal injury: speeding; DUI; Failure to Wear Seat Belts; Failure to comply with traffic signs or devices; Aggressive Driving.
Goals:
• To ensure the safety and well being of the citizens of Westampton by reducing injuries, deaths and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes.
• To identify high accident areas, analyze data, and apply problem solving techniques in the resolution of traffic problems.
• To enhance traffic safety in the Township of Westampton by reducing both the frequency and severity of traffic crashes.
• To vigorously pursue the investigation of citizen complaints and enforce applicable traffic laws and regulations.
|
|
Sergeant Brian Ferguson - Unit Coordinator |
|
Patrol Officer Steven Ent - Traffic Investigator
|
|
Patrol Officer Ralph Lutz - Traffic Investigator |
|
Patrol Officer Thomas Polite - Traffic Investigator |
|
Patrol Officer Andrew Brewer - Traffic Investigator |
|
1 murder every 24 minutes
1 Aggravated Assault every 29 seconds
1 Violent Crime every 18 seconds
1 crime every 2 seconds – of this
1 property crime every 3 seconds
1 fatality every 13 minutes
1 injury every 9 seconds
1 crash every 5 seconds – of this
Property damage every 7 seconds
|
|
*Traffic Safety Facts 1995, US Department of Transportation, Crime in the United States, US Department of Justice |
|
Savings to the Community*
|
|
• 1 life is saved for every 80,000 tickets issued
• 1 emergency room visit is prevented for every 1,300 tickets issued
• $1000 in community cost is save for every 13 tickets issued.
• Receiving a traffic ticket reduced a driver’s risk of dying in a crash by 35% in the weeks following the citation. This benefit existed for drivers regardless of age, prior convictions and other personal details. There was no differentiation between moving and non-moving tickets, although the best benefit was to driver’s who were speeding. The protective effect lasted for one to two months for these drivers and was insignificant after four months.
|
|
* Robert Tibshirani, PhD, The Lancet, School of Medicine at the University of Toronto. As reported in the Stanford Report, July 2003, Stanford University (Dr. Tibshirani stated that the findings should apply in the United States since the traffic laws are so similar between the two countries).
|
|
Specific Examples of Enforcement Success*
|
|
• Traffic stops regularly result in criminal arrests, drug interdiction, and criminal investigations. Some traffic stops are world renowned. For example, the Oklahoma City bombing suspect, Timothy McVeigh, was apprehended by an Oklahoma State Trooper while making a "routine" traffic stop. Serial murderer Ted Bundy, who killed over 22 women, and the Atlanta child killer, Wayne Williams, who killed 28, were also apprehended because of traffic stops. "Son of Sam," David Berkowitz, who killed 6 and wounded 7, was captured because of a parking ticket. |
|
* National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Enforcement War on Crime, U.S. Department of Transportation | |
|
