Summer in Central Oregon is a busy time, with many visitors and residents on our roads. Local law enforcement agencies are teaming up to help everyone arrive safely to their destination. That means driving safely, slowing down and being responsible. A multi-jurisdictional traffic safety detail between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., Tuesday, July 12 through Thursday, July 14.
Participating agencies include the Bend, Redmond, Black Butte and Sunriver police departments, as well as the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and Oregon State Police.
The goal of this traffic safety detail is to reduce speeds, injuries and crashes and remind people of the risks of speeding, distracted driving and other dangerous behaviors.
Each agency will work its primary jurisdiction, focusing on the highways in their communities. That includes U.S. Highway 20 and U.S. Highway 97, as well as the Bend Parkway and the Bypass in Redmond.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data show that high speeds are a leading cause of crashes, particularly those resulting in injuries and death. In the past month there have been at least four fatal motor vehicle accidents in Central Oregon.
When you see law enforcement conducting traffic stops, please be cognizant of our officers’ safety and remember to move over to give them space. ORS 811.147 (the Move Over Law) requires anyone driving up behind a police car or emergency vehicle pulled over on the roadside with emergency lights flashing to move over into another lane. If you can’t safely change lanes, you must slow down to at least 5 MPH below the speed limit and leave as much room as possible for the emergency vehicle. This also applies to any vehicle stopped on a roadway and displaying hazard lights.
