This summer, law enforcement agencies in King, Snohomish, Skagit and Whatcom Counties will conduct X-52 patrols, targeting motorists who speed or drive while intoxicated.

Participating police departments include Redmond, Kirkland, Bellevue, Issaquah, Burien, Clyde Hill, Des Moines, Kent, Mercer Island, Newcastle, Port of Seattle, SeaTac, Seattle, Snoqualmie, Tukwila and the Washington State Patrol.

The first patrol was on Saturday, June 14. Other patrols will follow on July 19, Aug. 1 and Sept. 28.

Impaired driving and speed are the two factors most often cited in death and disabling injuries on Washington’s roadways. The X-52 patrols or “Extra Patrols Every Week,” are a statewide strategy to prevent drivers from speeding and operating vehicles after drinking or using other drugs.

So far, in 2008, King County X-52 patrols have reported:

• 1,604 contacts with dangerous drivers

• 28 arrests for driving while intoxicated

• 744 speeding tickets issued

• 1,094 total traffic tickets issued

In 2006, the latest year with statistics, 147 King County residents died in traffic crashes and 1,226 King County residents were hospitalized for injuries incurred in traffic crashes.

As part of this summer’s X-52 mobilization in King County, police departments throughout the region will match every hour of X-52 overtime patrols with additional patrols throughout the summer.