| Traffic Law-Enforcement Program |
|
|
|
 |
| Program Manager |
|
Steve D. Vitolo
ODOT - Transportation Safety Division
235 Union Street NE
Salem, OR 97301-1054
Phone: 503 986-4446
|
|
|
| Program Introduction |
|
The Traffic Law-Enforcement Program includes a variety of projects and counter-measures which include:
Speed Enforcement, Equipment and Training:
Speed Enforcement: Overtime Enforcement grants to address the issue of speeding drivers.
Speed Equipment: Grants to assist police agencies in acquiring speed-enforcement equipment.
Speed Management: Monitors, analyzes and provides topical expertise regarding Oregon speed laws, legislation and speed issues at the state and local levels. Provides expertise to Oregon law-enforcement and judicial agencies.
Speed Training: Provides training and certification for radar and lidar through DPSST.
Public Information and Education: Provides media information and public outreach regarding Speed and following-too-close issues which are closely related.
Speed Goal: Reduce deaths and injuries that are speed-related on State / Interstate Highways, County Roads and City Streets in Oregon.
Traffic Law-Enforcement:
Enforcement: Provides overtime grants and develops programs and enforcement strategies to effectively modify behavior focusing on the Top 10 driver error codes in Oregon Crashes. Oregon Crash Data is analysed each year and enforcement teams are developed to focus on the worst problem roads in Oregon with the intent of reducing crashes, deaths and injuries.
Multi-Agency Traffic Teams: These teams consist of City, County and State Police agencies within the same county. They work together and assist one another with high crash locations and target the worst driving behaviors that cause these crashes within each agencies jurisdiction on a rotating basis. These types of enforcement teams create a significant, visible deterrent to dangerous driving behavior and create a much higher level of media involvement and public knowledge of traffic enforcement in the selected communities.
Training: Provides training and financial support in a variety of areas related to Traffic Law-Enforcement which includes: Radar and Laser Training, Crash Investigations, Police Motor Officer training and support, Traffic Enforcement technology and support, Electronic forms development and time saving automation projects.
Training Goal: Improve the enforcement of traffic safety laws and regulations intended to reduce death, injury and property damage and provide needed community service, by providing additional law enforcement training in key traffic safety areas.
Automated Enforcement Programs:
Photo Red Light: This program is funded and supported directly by each city that operates a photo red light program. The Safety Division reviews each cities report to the legislature and provides an executive summary to each legislative assembly on the use of this technology in Oregon.
Photo Radar: This program is funded and supported directly by each city that operates a photo radar program. The Safety Division reviews each cities report to the legislature and provides an executive summary to each legislative assembly on the use of this technology in Oregon.
|
|
|
| Speed (Grants and Equipment) |
|
Speed overtime grants:
Speed overtime grants are not on an open competitive process rather they are based on annual speed-related crash data. The Safety Division analyizes the crash data and determines effective countermeasures and contacts specific police agencies directly to offer specific enforcement projects based on identified problem areas.
Speed Equipment Grants:
In the last five years, the safety division has purchased hundreds of pieces of traffic safety related police equipment for City, County and State police agencies. With this equipment, police in Oregon are better equipped to enforce traffic laws related to speed. Other types of equipment such as In-Car video cameras have been purchased through our Impaired Driving Program and local regional safety coordinators to help with prosecution of impaired and aggressive drivers. Some radar trailers have been purchase for community-based speed awareness campaigns.
Based on available funding, speed-equipment grants are announced via our local regional transportation safety coordinators and requests for proposal are sent out to local police agencies via US Mail. A general application process follows and agencies that show a need for speed equipment are selected from the group until the funds have been expended for that year. Agencies that have a demonstrated speed-related crash problem are given priority in the selection process.
Phone Number Contacts for Regional Coordinators:
Region 1: Portland Metro Area: KC Humphrey 503-731-4965
Region 2: Salem Area / North Coast Cindy Bradley 503-986-2763
Region 3: Roseburg Area / South Coast Rosalee Senger 541-957-3657
Region 4: Bend Area / Central Oregon Debbie Williams 541-388-6429
Region 5: Lagrande / Eastern Oregon Patty McClure 541-963-1387
|
|
|
| Move Over or Slow Down Law |
|
When approaching the rear of a stopped emergency vehicle which is on the roadside with emergency lights activated, Oregon Law requires drivers to move over into another lane if one is available. If you can not move over into another lane safely (or if you are on a road with only one lane in each direction), you must slow down and give the emergency vehicle as much room as is safely possible. The fine for this violation is currently $242.00 ($355.00 if the location is within a Safety Corridor, School Zone or Work Zone).
Update: February 1st, 2008
A partnership between the Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Transportation regarding the "Move Over" law has created new media opportunities and additional public outreach materials which are posted below. The Zip File was created to allow you to download all available Oregon Media related to the "Move Over" Law.
(Right Click on any of the links below and select "Save Target As" to save any of the media to your computer for viewing or forwarding).
The Move Over Law - Oregon Text
ORS 811.147 is not a "New Law" it became law in January of 2004
The law specifies the following:
811.147 Failure to maintain safe distance from emergency vehicle or ambulance; penalty.
(1) A person operating a motor vehicle commits the offense of failure to maintain a safe distance from an emergency vehicle or ambulance if the person approaches an emergency vehicle or ambulance that is stopped and is displaying required warning lights and the person:
(a) On a highway having two or more lanes for traffic in a single direction, fails to:
(A) Make a lane change to a lane not adjacent to that of the emergency vehicle or ambulance; or
(B) Reduce the speed of the motor vehicle, if making a lane change is unsafe.
(b) On a two directional, two-lane highway, fails to reduce the speed of the motor vehicle.
(2) The offense described in this section, failure to maintain a safe distance from an emergency vehicle or ambulance, is a Class B traffic violation. [2003 c.42 §2]
|
|
|
| Traffic Law Brochures/Media |
|
The following brochures have been distributed to assist in the public education effort as it relates to Speeding and Tailgating:
Speeding Brochure: "Control the Speed, Control the Damage"
Tailgating Brochure: "Police are Ticketing Tailgators"
New Technology determines your distance
in feet and seconds behind the vehicle you are
following. Are you too close?
|
|
|
| Speed & Speed Limits (Q and A) |
|
Speed and Speed Limits Question and Answers are currently being updated - check back soon.
|
|
|
| Speed Enforcement (Q and A) |
|
Speed Enforcement Q and A is being updated - Please Check Back Soon
|
|
|
|
