Washington Troopers Team Up With Truckers To Catch Aggressive Drivers

Washington State Patrol troopers will ride shotgun with truck drivers from May 20-24 to crackdown on aggressive driving.  The troopers will focus their efforts in King County.  Troopers say they’ll be on the lookout for motorists who drive unsafely around trucks.

When a trooper spots a motorists cutting off others, speeding or driving aggressively, they will radio ahead to fellow officers to stop the motorist.

The week-long campaign, which began in September 2012 is known as Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks Project (TACT).

“We continue to see passenger car drivers as the main cause of most truck involved collisions,” said Captain Jason Berry, Commercial Vehicle Division commander. “People need to understand they have to give these big trucks plenty of space. When there is a car-versus-truck collision, there’s a good chance the people in the car will be injured,” he said.

During the first week-long campaign, troopers stopped a total of 485 drivers. Of those, 280 tickets were issued.  In addition, troopers conducted 18 commercial motor vehicle inspections.

During the second campaign in December 2012, troopers stopped 502 drivers; 286 car drivers and 23 commercial motor vehicle drivers received tickets for driving aggressively around other big trucks.

Troopers will focus their efforts on Interstate 5 from Seattle to Federal Way, Interstate 90 from Seattle to North Bend, Interstate 405 from Bellevue to Tukwila, state Route 167 from state Route 18 to I-405, and state Route 18.

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