News

July 30, 2004
Drivers getting pressure to be safe

By Frank Petrignani
The Washington TImes

The maroon Toyota minivan speeding down Interstate 66 with four children in the back is exactly the kind of driving Fairfax County police Officer T.L. Beckman is trying to stop.

"That's enough," Officer Beckman said Tuesday. "I've got to get this one."

The Fairfax County Police Department is just one of roughly 85 police agencies in the metropolitan area participating in a program to curb speeding, tail-gating, lane-hopping and other types of aggressive driving, which federal officials say cause about 66 percent of the country's highway fatalities.

Police in the District, Maryland and Northern Virginia this week are into what they call the "third wave" of the summer-long program known as Smooth Operator.

The first two waves have resulted in at least 115,850 citations and warnings, about 4,607 more than at this time last year. The numbers do not include the second wave statistics from the District. The third wave ends tomorrow.

Within 90 minutes yesterday, on interstates 66 and 495, Officer Beckman issued three tickets - one for speeding and two for reckless driving.

"We put the public service announcements out there [but] when people see someone pulled over it reinforces the message that we are out here going after motorists driving aggressively," said Tom Gianni, Smooth Operator's executive officer and the law enforcement liaison for the Maryland Highway Safety Office.

Beyond the traditional method of positioning a patrol car along a highway, participating agencies are also putting officers in helicopters and unmarked Chevrolet Camaros.

When Officer Beckman spotted the Toyota minivan speeding yesterday, he flipped on his light, then guided his tinted-glass Camaro into position behind the vehicle.

"Obviously we have to remain safe," he said as he pulled behind the driver. "We want to help fix the problem, not be a part of it."

He issued the driver a speeding citation that will cost her at least $157, including a processing fee.

About 20 minutes later, Officer Beckman spotted another potentially dangerous situation - a gray Volkswagen GTI weaving between lanes and cutting off other motorists. He issued the driver a ticket for driving recklessly.

"The reckless-driving ticket is a Class One misdemeanor and can qualify [the driver] for suspension of license and possible jail time," Officer Beckman said.

A judge decides how much a motorist must pay for a reckless-driving ticket, but fines can be as much as $2,500. Other fines include $87 for following another vehicle too closely and for unsafe lane changing. Both include a $57 processing fee.

The driver of the Volkswagen, Thao Thanh Du, 20, of Manassas, didn't argue about the ticket but stopped short of saying he would never again speed.

"I am in a rush, and truthfully, I don't know, it depends upon the situation," he said.

Five minutes later, Officer Beckman spotted a Ford Freestar minivan on Interstate 495 weaving in and out of traffic while reaching speeds of 85 mph.

He ticketed the motorist for reckless driving, too.

"The driver was [also] talking on a headset and trying to catch up with another motorist," Officer Beckman said.

The program's final wave is from Aug. 22 to Aug. 28.

Participating agencies have issued more than 900,000 citations and warnings since the program started in 1997, including more than 225,000 last year.

"Ten years ago people didn't even know what aggressive driving was," Mr. Gianni said. "Now that the public is aware of it, we can take this one step at a time and begin to drive down the number."

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