Additional police on the road through end of Memorial Day

Around the area, reports have come in from motorists being pulled over in greater numbers. A larger part of the increased traffic stops has come from two initiatives happening right now through June 4. First, “between May 22 and June 4, officers statewide are stepping up their efforts to ticket anyone not wearing a seat belt, especially at night.” Second, officers are pulling people over to remind people to switch lanes for emergency vehicles. Additionally, officers are on the lookout during memorial day weekend for drunk drivers.

Letty von Rossum, TxDOT Behavioral Traffic Safety Section Director, has warned motorists, “In 2022 more than 3,300 Texans who failed to wear their seat belts were killed or seriously injured. Simply remembering to put on your seat belt increases your chances of surviving a crash by 45%. In pickup trucks, that number jumps to 60%.”

On the Texas Click it or Ticket website notes that “you might think that under the cover of darkness, police officers don’t notice unbuckled drivers and passengers. But they do. If you’re pulled over, that means you’ll face fines and court costs of up to $200. Instead of putting yourself and others in danger, remember: buckle up day and night, every rider, every ride.”

Linden Police Chief Dulude, touched on that at Thursday’s Linden Lions Club, saying that police officers are trained to spot people who don’t have their seatbelts on and noted nonverbal gestures they look for when trying to spot motorists without seatbelts on. He also said that police departments are paid to have additional enforcement on the road during the campaign.

On Highway 59 motorists were seen pulled over for not pulling over for emergency vehicles over the last week.

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation put out a press release this week advising that “Motorists traveling during the Memorial Day weekend are reminded that state law requires drivers to slow down or move over for emergency vehicles – including tow trucks, police cars and fire trucks – stopped on the side of the road with their emergency lights activated.

“Texas law requires drivers to slow down at least 20 miles per hour under the posted speed limit or, if able, to change lanes when they’re passing a first responder stopped on the road with their emergency lights activated.

“Large numbers of travelers are expected on Texas roads, which means that more breakdowns and traffic stops are likely as well. Drivers should pay attention to what’s happening around them and prepare to react quickly.

“TDLR licenses tow operators and tow companies in Texas, and regulates driver education/driving safety courses, and motorcycle/ATV safety courses.”