Delta Police use social media in effort to drive down crash numbers
Posted May 19, 2018 12:02 pm.
Last Updated May 19, 2018 2:25 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
DELTA (NEWS 1130) – Police typically don’t tell you where they’ll be setting up speed traps or distracted driving checks, but officers in Delta are trying something new.
You can now find out when and where officers will be by going online.
Recently, Delta Police have been posting information about specific traffic enforcement on Twitter.
Chief Constable Neil Dubord says the strategy focuses on high collision intersections.
“In these high collision areas we want people to become very familiar with. And hopefully it will continue to drive down the statistics we’re seeing.”
He adds drivers seem to be appreciating the heads up. “People don’t want to be tricked anyways with regards to traffic enforcement.”
LISTEN: NEWS 1130’s Tim James speaks to Chief Constable Neil Dubord on this week’s Ask the Chief
Dubord explains the idea behind giving details of speed traps and seat belt checks is to improve driver behaviour at 10 specific high collision intersections around that city.
“We hope that they change their behaviours not only in these 10 areas that typically we’re doing the enforcement, but also in the other areas where they’re driving.”
He says feedback from drivers has been positive, and the “heads up” about traffic enforcement may also be improving safety. “Currently, in 2018, we’re about 17 per cent down in collisions. So we’ve come down from about 357 this same time in 2017 to about 298 collisions.”
Dubord admits it’s not a common strategy for police.
“I think other police departments across Canada have tried this at certain points in time of their traffic safety plans, but this is the first time that we know of sort of in the Metro Vancouver area.”
But, don’t expect to be tipped off about any impaired driving check stops — those will still be a surprise.
