Speed, ECHS, Committees,Traffic Engineering, NCDOT

Safe Speed Act; Establishing Uniform Sentencing for Speeding Offenses
Description:	"The Safe Speed Act", will; 1) In essence make the process of adjudicating speed related citations more of an administrative one, thus having minimal impact on the courts, 2) Establish uniform sentencing of speeding offenses with set and non-negotiable penalties 3) Ensure that the severity of the penalties increases with severity and frequency of the violation, thus providing the necessary sanctions to discourage this behavior and 4) Eliminate plea bargaining by judicial officials and ensure uniform sentencing by judges.
Group Lead:	Captain Dave Haggist, Charlotte Police Department
ECHS Approval:	October 20, 2004
Host Agency:	N/A
Agency Contact:	N/A
Notes:
Status:	Group is doing more research on this. Legislation will be needed.

Monitoring Charlotte's Photo Enforcement Speed Program
Description:	The Charlotte DOT and the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (formed in 1999) are conducting a series of awareness campaigns and a photographic speed enforcement program to address the problems of speeding in the Charlotte metro area. In particular, the awareness campaign, called "Speed a Little, Lose a Lot," is aimed at young drivers aged 16-25 where fatalities in speed-related crashes are increasing. A photographic speed enforcement program, called "Safe Speed," is being run in conjunction with the awareness campaign. This recommendation is to monitor closely the measured effectiveness of these coordinated education and enforcement activities for possible expansion to other areas of North Carolina. The program is being evaluated by NC State and ITRE.
Group Lead:	Captain Dave Haggist; Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department
ECHS Approval:	July 21, 2004
Host Agency:	Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department
Agency Contact:	Captain Dave Haggist
Notes:
Status:	In Progress

Fees to Increase Enforcement Capabilities of Law Enforcement with Regard to Speeding
Description:	This strategy focuses on providing resources to law enforcement to increase their presence on the highways and to write more citations for speeding. In specially identified corridors, there would be an additional fee or fine assessed to anyone caught speeding. These additional fines would be utilized to fund law enforcement personnel (either additional personnel or overtime for existing officers) for the sole purpose of speed enforcement. In essence, only the violators would be paying for this program.
Group Lead:	Gaines Weaver
ECHS Approval:	N/A
Host Agency:	N/A
Agency Contact:	N/A
Notes:
Status:	In draft mode - Work Group discussion are continuing.


Compliance Dismissals - Provide for Recovery of Court Costs Associated with Dismissing Minor Traffic Violations
Description:	This system or "The Recovery of Costs for Compliance Dismissals' Act", would 1) Continue the process of dismissing minor traffic citations as an administrative one, thus having minimal impact on the courts, 2) Would provide for the recovery of costs associated with these violations and 3) By requiring violators to pay costs would help to discourage this behavior.
Group Lead:	Ken Ivey - NCDOT - Traffic Engineering and Safety Systems Branch
ECHS Approval:	February 8, 2006
Host Agency:	Assigned back to the Speed Working Group.
Agency Contact:	N/A
Notes:
Status:	The Speed Working Group will be responsible for drafting the appropriate verbiage for pending legislation that will be required to implement this strategy.

Targeted CMV Speed Enforcement as a Generalized Deterrent to Speeding Motorists
Description:	This strategy will focus on speed enforcement targeting commercial motor vehicles with two primary purposes: 1) slowing down speeding CMVs and 2) The spill over effect that should be present. It is understood that many motorists (especially on interstate facilities) take their cues as to the presence or absence of speed enforcement from what the 'truckers' are observed to be doing. The perception is that truckers communicate via CB radios and other devices to inform other truckers of the presence of speed traps. When drivers of passenger vehicles observe a sudden decrease in the speed of trucks, it is usually taken as an indication that speed enforcement is present. Conversely when truckers are exceeding posted speeds the drivers of other vehicles feel it is 'safe' to do so also (i.e., not likely to be ticketed). "So go the trucks, so go the other elements of the traffic stream." The generalized benefit of slowing down the trucks is a concurrent reduction in the speed of other vehicles as well.
Group Lead:	Ron Hughes
ECHS Approval:	N/A
Host Agency:	N/A
Agency Contact:	N/A
Notes:
Status:	In draft mode - Work Group discussion are continuing.

Statewide Pace Car Program Spearheaded by State Employees
Description:	A Statewide Pace Car Program would recruit people to voluntarily travel within the posted speed limit on all roadways, beginning with State Employees. This is a way North Carolina residents can join together and set a good example for other drivers, especially younger drivers. The intent is for these drivers to act as pace cars by driving at the posted speed limit and limiting the opportunities for those behind them to drive in excess of the speed limit. Once there are enough Pace Car volunteers, the Pace Car Program Volunteers would actually be a mobile traffic calming system. North Carolina is the home of stock car racing and nearly everyone understands the concept and purpose of the pace car when it comes to racing. The basic principle of this program is that it clearly puts the accountability to drive responsibly on the motorists.
Group Lead:	Haywood Daughtry, NCDOT - Traffic Safety Programs
ECHS Approval:	N/A
Host Agency:	N/A
Agency Contact:	N/A
Notes:
Status:	In Draft Mode - Discussions are continuing.