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DANGEROUS drivers could be caught out by a new technique that’s already seen cops hand out hundreds of tickets.
Police in Oregon are looking to reduce traffic incidents and make roads in Portland much safer by focussing on “high-crash corridors and areas that have recently seen tragic traffic fatalities.”
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Oregon State Police and Portland police have joined forces to use a technique called “Human Vehicle Environment analysis” – which has already resulted in hundreds of tickets issued and even several arrests made.
The Portland Police Bureau said: “This approach allows officers to assess not only the behavior of drivers but also vehicle conditions and environmental factors that contribute to accidents.
“By targeting key problem areas, the mission aimed to raise community awareness of traffic safety while addressing specific dangers present in historically problematic locations.”
The mission, which focussed on stretches of road along I-205, I-84 and Northeast Glisan Street, among others, resulted in one towed vehicle, four arrests, 150 citations, 116 warnings and 189 traffic stops.
According to the PPB, this focus was partially made in response to a hit-and-run on Northeast Glisan Street that resulted in the death of a cyclist.
Ty Engstrom, a PPB spokesperson, said: “It’s not one person or one mode of transportation that is responsible for everything.
“This is a community issue that we all need to address.”
Several locals were thrilled to hear police were enforcing traffic laws in these specific areas.
Portland resident Misty Sherman said: “Nothing is going to change overnight but it’s a step in the right direction.
“If we know no one is down here of course people are going to drive crazy but if they think there’s a chance they could get that ticket or something, I hope they slow down.”
Another neighbor, Keona Peone, added: “It seems like, I don’t know, no one is really paying attention to what they’re doing and they swerve in front of you.
“They’re mean, we almost got into a wreck like twice just on the way here.”
This comes as lawmakers responded to a spike in illegal parking in Portland by assembling a task force to remind drivers of the rules.
Back in July, it was announced that the city was hiring 22 officers for the Portland Bureau of Transportation to crack down on illegally parked cars.
Elsewhere, a gearhead who found a dusty Rivian truck sitting in a junkyard discovered that it hid a surprise in the bed.
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