Is 55MPH too fast? Like, southbound on N. Seminary Ave. (Route 47) in Woodstock, at about Donovan Street, where the speed limit is 35MPH?
A sheriff's department squad car was flying low this afternoon about 2:00PM. The deputy was blasting south and right down the middle lane on the roadway, using the two-way, left-turn lane along with his (her?) lights and siren.
I always wonder what kind of call for service justifies excessive speed? Too many crashes occur that involve speeding police vehicles using emergency equipment. And, when they occur, the deputy never gets to the scene of his call, at all. Vehicles are damaged, people are often hurt, and another deputy has to be dispatched and arrives even later.
When I lived in Lakewood, Colo., the chief of the town's new police department, Pierce Brooks, would not allow officers to run "hot" except under the most urgent circumstances. He knew, and that was in 1971, that accidents are costly in many ways.
I often hear sirens of Woodstock Police cars flying toward the Square on Lake Avenue with sirens in use. When I say "flying", I mean at what I consider to be unsafe, excessive speeds. I hear the siren approach and the engine of the car as it flies past.
How much time might an officer lose by driving 40-45, instead of 55-65? What? Maybe 15-20 seconds? They all think they are good drivers, and many of them are. But if an animal or a child on a bike or an inattentive (or distracted) motorist pulls out of a driveway or into an intersection, even the best police driver is not likely to be able to avoid a serious crash.
You never know who is interested…
3 months ago
6 comments:
Gus,
Do you have anything better to do but criticize our Law Enforcement and Public Safety officers who put their lives on the line to protect us?
H.P., I started a response to your comment, but then I asked myself, "Why?"
All I'm asking for is safe driving when responding to emergency calls.
Then explain why you continue to question officer's responses when you are not aware as to what type of call they are responding to or what is transpiring that requires them respond Code 3.....
H.P., the type of call has absolutely no bearing on whether an officer can drive unsafely enroute to it.
The Illinois Vehicle Code contains specific statutes that apply to use of emergency equipment (lights, siren, etc.). For example, at intersections. Lights/siren do not permit an officer to blast on through an intersection against a red light.
A driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may "... 2. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be required and necessary for safe operation; (and) 3. Exceed the maximum speed limits so long as he does not endanger life or property."
Reference 625 ILCS 5/11-205
So you are correct in that, but as long as he/she is responding to the call safely he/she can proceed through intersections and exceed the speed limit!
The officer was most likely acting well within their appropriate judgement and therefore did not deserve to be criticized for actions that are parallel to State Statute.
I'm the one who observed the deputy barreling down the two-way, left-turn lane on Seminary (Route 47). Prudence would have dictated that he use the single southbound lane, when it was unoccupied, or at least straddle the southbound lane and the TWLT lane. Instead, he chose to travel many blocks right down the middle of the roadway, and that's what was unsafe and dangerous.
Yes, it's my opinion, just as it was his opinion and decision to drive in the manner he did.
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