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Posted on Sat, Aug 31, 2013 : 3:02 p.m.

State police looking for drunk drivers, seat-belt usage and aggressive driving during Labor Day weekend

By Kyle Feldscher

State police troopers are reminding motorists to drive safely this Labor Day weekend, and the agency will have more patrols out on the roads to discourage unsafe behavior.

The Michigan State Police will be paying special attention to drunken driving, aggressive driving and seat-belt usage during the Labor Day weekend as a part of a nationwide initiative, according to a statement.

Troopers will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort) during the Labor Day Weekend. This work combines with the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over drunken-driving enforcement campaign.

The Labor Day Weekend patrols started at 6 p.m. Friday and will continue until 11:59 p.m. Monday. In the state last year, there were eight traffic crashes that resulted in eight deaths and four of those who died were not wearing seat belts, according to troopers.

Operation C.A.R.E. is a nationwide initiative involving officers from all 50 states and other police agencies from U.S. territories and Canada.

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Comments

Jim Walker

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 3:33 p.m.

If all posted speed limits on main roads, both rural and urban, were set for safety at the 85th percentile speeds of free flowing traffic under good conditions - then state, county and local police officers would be looking for dangerous drivers most of the time. The key to proper enforcement regimens starts with speed limits set for safety. The state police, MDOT, most counties, and some cities support this principle. Many cities and some of our state legislators don't. This is why the coming bill from Senators Jones and Casperson needs to pass and become law. James C. Walker, Life Member-National Motorists Association, Ann Arbor

Jim Walker

Mon, Sep 2, 2013 : 6:04 p.m.

For Clownfish The 85th percentile speeds on the Ohio Turnpike were 78-79 mph when it was posted at 65, and they would surely measure to round to 80 today for the nearest 5 mph interval. Posted at 70 instead of 65 improved safety, and using 75 or 80 would have been better. In most years, Michigan's fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled is lower than the national average. The top two command officers in the Michigan State Police Traffic Services Section (the department responsible for safety) won a Governor's Traffic Safety Advisory Commission award for their work in correcting speed limits - generally to the 85th percentile levels. Michigan has not had a rural freeway speed limit set at the actual 85th percentile speeds since the 1960s when 70 was right. By 1996, 75 was right, and today in most areas 80 would be right. Areas in Texas on Interstate 10 posted 80 have 85th percentile speeds of 81-84 with only 1.2% at 90 or higher. Correct limits are respected, artificially low ones are not. James C. Walker, National Motorists Association, Ann Arbor

clownfish

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 5:18 p.m.

I could be wrong, but it seems like every time speed limits are raised, the 85th percentile moves up past the current speed limit. In Ohio, speeds are fairly steady at 65-70, because enforcement is rigid. In MI speeds are 70-85, which creates safety problems due to speed differential. Do you have any stats on deaths/capita or accidents/mile driven in states with more rigid enforcement vs those with lax enforcement of speed laws (like MI) ?

Boo Radley

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 3:16 p.m.

Yeah .... what a waste of police manpower and taxpayer money. Oh ... wait, I see that the cost to society of traffic crashes is slightly more than $1000.00 PER PERSON, per year in the United States. http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/05/news/economy/AAA_study/

clownfish

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 2:19 p.m.

If you are tired of "revenue " enforcement there is a simple solution. Drive the sped limit, wear your seatbelt, don't tailgate, don't drink and drive. You will use less gas, save lives and get the police into your neighborhoods where you evidently want them. Or, whine about having to follow the same rules as the rest of us. waaa, waaa...

clownfish

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 5:22 p.m.

Are random DUI checkpoints legal in MI? I thought they were not.

Basic Bob

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 3:16 p.m.

I hope they pull me over in one of their random checkpoints, if only to waste their time.

Resident A2

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 11:53 a.m.

I am so tired of the police getting a bad rap. You try having a job where you put your life on the line everyday to make our lives safer!

Goober

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 2:14 p.m.

Some are good and deserve all the praise we can give them. And some are bad and deserve the bad rap and negative comments. Unfortunately, we mostly remember issues by the bad ones.

RunsWithScissors

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 12:47 p.m.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Homeland Conspiracy

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 12:43 p.m.

And eat doughnuts

Fat Bill

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 2:48 a.m.

Good ol seat belt enforcement. Easy pickens, another way to appear busy without doing anything terribly risky. Look boss, I wrote 20 tickets today...

clownfish

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 2:12 p.m.

Sally, did you know that you have STATE congressmen/women? Find out who it is here; http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/ Ignorance is no way to run a republic.

Silly Sally

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 1 p.m.

Talking to Dingell would do no good. 1) he doesn't listen 2) this is not a federal law, but a state one. Talk to your state assemblyperson

RunsWithScissors

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 12:45 p.m.

Wear the seat belt and they won't be taking any money from you. It's that easy. Those 20 schmucks who received a ticket? It's hard to claim they don't know about the seat-belt law and should get a ticket for not using one. If you don't like it, then talk to your congressman and get the law removed.

snapshot

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 2:19 a.m.

Hope they also target tailgaters and distracted drivers for cell phone use which is more unsafe than drunk driving and causes more accidents according to recent studies. No federal grants for that though, so they have to "do their numbers" for the drunk driving money while catching distracted drivers has no economic incentive though a morally superior task.

EyeHeartA2

Mon, Sep 2, 2013 : 12:33 a.m.

@Silly Sally; I guess we tailgate in different ways. I do mine before a football game.

clownfish

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 2:10 p.m.

Just because it is not listed does not mean those laws are not being enforced. Often these basic traffic enforcement procedures lead to bigger arrests. http://www.wlns.com/story/23246295/police-seize-220000

Brad

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 1:04 p.m.

Tailgating with alcohol on the Pioneer property is illegal but they look the other way.

Silly Sally

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 12:58 p.m.

Yes, tailgating is illegal, and an infraction. It is also called "following too closely". Back to drivers ed?

EyeHeartA2

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 4:03 a.m.

Is tailgating and cell phone useage illegal? How would that work in court?

An Arborigine

Sat, Aug 31, 2013 : 9:47 p.m.

At the expense of assault, larceny and general patrol? Sounds like easy targets over hard work.

Linda Peck

Sat, Aug 31, 2013 : 8:58 p.m.

They ought to be doing this every day. It is their job.

TheDiagSquirrel

Sat, Aug 31, 2013 : 8:55 p.m.

CARE is also an acronym for Capture All Revenue Eagerly

clownfish

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 2:06 p.m.

Sally, the speed limit there is NOT 75, so not sure what you are whining about. If you don;t want to get caught, drive the speed limit. It is not hard. I have not had ANY kind of ticket for over 30 years, and I spent most of that time in and around A2. Time to stop blaming the government for your inability to follow rules.

Silly Sally

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 12:57 p.m.

No, you can still be caught in a speed trap in Ann Arbor. 35 MPH on State wherever it is 4 or 5 lanes, by Pioneer High School, on Huron Pkw. north of Washtenaw? On Saturday, I spotted a state trouper on US-23 near The Huron River waiting in the median, under a bridge, looking for someone going 75. Oh, so silly. Why not patrol residential streets for real safety?

RunsWithScissors

Sun, Sep 1, 2013 : 12:42 p.m.

You can bring this type of revenue capturing to a screeching halt by: wearing your seat belt, don't drink & drive, and avoid reckless driving. It's that easy.