"Sergeant Ness, I have a question about the aggressive and reckless driving I see everyday on I-88. I call District 15 when I see this type of driving, but it seems that these drivers never get caught. I see the same people driving at speeds over 90 MPH, with reckless abandon everyday on the same time on the same stretch of road. Why can't we catch these individuals? Should I be doing something different to help the troopers out? Should I be telling the dispatchers something different?"
Thanks, Alan
Alan, the best thing you can do is call and report as much information as you can to the State Police Call-Taker. This could include locations, vehicle make/model/color descriptions, and license plate numbers if you are able to get them.
While we strive to respond to every report, at times our Troopers may be handling other calls or out of position. If this is a recurring incident, you can also ask to speak with the shift commander, who may be able to set up a special patrol in problem areas. We certainly appreciate reports from the public, including safe drivers like you who can act as an extra set of eyes for us.
The Tollway division of the Illinois State Police regularly plans and runs special enforcement patrols to combat driving problems such as you describe. For example, the ISP considers speeding one of our “Fatal Five� traffic offenses – along with DUI, driving too closely, seat belts, and improper lane usage. We strictly enforce all of these violations when observed. In addition to standard patrols, ISP uses unique enforcement efforts such as Special Enforcement Teams, which include covert squad cars and air speed details, to slow down traffic and target unsafe driving practices. Recently, ISP conducted Operation Full House – a concentrated enforcement effort on the tollways, which was featured in the Chicago media. Additional crackdowns such as these are planned for the Chicago area. Thanks for writing. Randy
Leave a comment