Police pull over speeding motorists to enforce, ensure roadway safety

Tickets issued by the West Lafayette Police Department from May 20 through June 2, 2001. Violation, # of Tickets Safety Belt 78 Speeding 16 Driving While Suspended 6 • Information courtesy of the West Lafayette Police Department. Tickets issued by the Purdue Police Department from May 20 through June 2, 2001. Violation, # of Tickets Safety Belt 50 Speeding 13 Driving While suspended 2 • Information courtesy of the Purdue Police Department.

By Morgan Conklin
Summer Reporter

Safety issues are the main reason why police officers are likely to pull over speeding motorists, said Ron Fosnaugh, Purdue Police captian of special services.

"If a car is posing a clear and present danger, then corrective measures need to be taken," said Fosnaugh. "Police need to do their job by protecting the population."

In 2000, 114 tickets were written to speeding motorists, and so far this year, another 47 speeding tickets have been issued.

Despite popular opinion, Fosnaugh said tickets are not issued more readily at the end of a month to meet quotas. "We have expectations that officers do their job," he said. But, he said no one has ever told officers they need to write a specific amount of tickets each month.

Many people believe that crying will reduce your chances of getting a ticket when you have been pulled over. Fosnaugh said that is not the case. "When an officer gets out of the car, he has his mind made up whether or not the motorist will get a warning or a ticket."

West Lafayette Capt. Mike Francis agreed. "It is up to officer discretion," he said. "Whether the motorist gets a written or verbal warning, or a uniform traffic ticket is decided before the officer gets out (of the car)."

Francis said the police department could, according to law, pull over a speeding motorist for as little as one mile over the speed limit. However, he said that is not a major safety hazard and motorists won’t see the West Lafayette Police Department writing tickets for a minor offense.

However, Fosnaugh said if a motorist is speeding a few miles over the speed limit in a school zone, the police officer may be more inclined to write a ticket. "That is a pretty serious offense, especially with kids present," he said.

Aside from school zones, police tend to target areas that receive complaints from residents. "We do more enforcement on Harrison Street because people who walk their dogs on the sidewalks (in that area) have complained of speeders," he said.

Fosnaugh said another area that police monitor closely is Intramural Drive by Wiley Hall and the Recreational Sports Center.

Francis said the West Lafayette Police Department "doesn’t target certain roads per se, but they do emphasize major thoroughfares and school zones."

 

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Police pull over speeding motorists to enforce, ensure roadway safety