'Slow Down or Pay Up': Redmond police and others targeting speeding drivers July 16-Aug.1

Police departments throughout King County, including Redmond, will inundate area roads, highways and interstates with extra police patrols to target speeding drivers, beginning Friday, July 16 and continuing through Aug. 1 as part of the statewide "Slow Down or Pay Up" campaign.

"Enforcing traffic laws saves lives," said Lieutenant Nick Almquist of the Redmond Police Department's traffic unit.

"From north to south and east to west, police departments are working together to enforce speed limits and make King County roads safer."

Dr. David Fleming, director and health officer for Public Health-Seattle and King County noted, "Speeding may seem like a quick and effective shortcut, but in fact it is a leading cause of traffic deaths and injuries in King County and Washington state. Speed-related crashes harm individuals, families and communities and many people hurt in these crashes suffer life-altering trauma and never recover fully."

According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, from 2006-2008, speeding drivers killed 140 people in King County crashes, an average of four deaths per month. These speeding-related crashes accounted for 44 percent of traffic deaths in King County in that time period.

Joining Redmond Police in the effort to curb speeders and save lives are police agencies from Auburn, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Maple Valley, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Normandy Park, North Bend, Pacific, Renton, Sammamish, SeaTac, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Tukwila and the Washington State Patrol District 2.

These emphasis patrols over the next month are a key component of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan: Target Zero. The vision of Target Zero is zero deaths and serious injuries from traffic crashes in Washington by the year 2030.

The Washington Traffic Safety Commission funds the extra patrols.

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