Slow down on Route 1; enforcement popping up

Law enforcement is targeting speeders on Delaware’s major thoroughfares as the new year begins.

Operation Braking Point, a joint campaign by the Delaware State Police, Office of Highway Safety and the Department of Transportation, is meant to address the increase of traffic fatalities recorded in 2022, said Sgt. India Sturgis of the Delaware State Police.

Running Jan. 9-23, patrols will focus on I-95, I-495 and Route 1, which had a combined total of 27 traffic fatalities in 2022, she said. Statewide, traffic deaths were 165. A pedestrian fatality in Midway just before the end of the year tied the record set in 1988.

Of those fatalities, Sturgis said, about a third were speed related. Speed will be tracked with stationary and moving radar, she said.

“Speeding will be the main focus, but of course, other violations will be observed,” Sturgis said. “From the analysis of completed investigations, impaired driving, distracted driving and speed are the leading contributing factors in traffic fatalities that occurred on Delaware roadways in 2022. Another key contributor was 38% of vehicle occupants were not wearing a seatbelt.” 

Sturgis said troopers will continue to monitor for other moving violations while on their speed patrols, such as aggressive driving. But in order to be cited with aggressive driving, she said, Delaware law requires an individual to engage in continuous conduct that includes three or more of the following violations: disobedience to traffic-control devices, passing on the shoulder, following too closely, failing to yield right of way, failing to use turn signals, disregarding stop sign/yield signs, passing stopped school buses and speeding. 

“So, in other words, at least three of those violations have to be observed for any Delaware law enforcement officer to cite the individual,” she said. 

If anyone sees someone driving aggressively, Sturgis said, it is very important for motorists to call vehicle descriptions (along with registration if it can be safely obtained) in to the Emergency Operations Centers by dialing 911 in emergencies or calling the non-emergency line (Suscom: 302-855-2980; Kentcom: 302-739-4525; Recom: 302-577-3010), so a general broadcast can be placed over the radio for the vehicle. 

There is not yet technology available to target an aggressive driver while driving along state roadways, she said. 

“We look for all the violations mentioned and enforce the rules of the road daily; however, we are running this campaign in hopes of bringing awareness to serious-traffic safety issues and changing behavior,” Sturgis said. 

Once Operation Braking Point is finished, she said, law enforcement will kick off a seatbelt and distracted driving campaign.