The Chainlink

Distracted Driving Tickets Plummet

Only 24 tickets given out this year. Geessh!

Chicago police citations for distracted driving have plummeted over the last three years.

For the full article click below.

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-93249910/

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 11, 2017 at 7:15am

Very disappointing but not surprising, given the general lack of traffic enforcement during this time period.

Permalink Reply by Dave Schwarz on May 11, 2017 at 10:44am
The police officers are shutting down and in some regards I don't blame them. Everything they do generates a complaint of some form of discrimination.
Permalink Reply by Maurice on May 11, 2017 at 3:00pm

If they don't like their jobs, they should quit, rather than continuing to collect a hefty paycheck without working. That's essentially stealing tax money. Their collective bargaining agreement does not allow ticket quotas or similar measures.

Permalink Reply by Dave Schwarz on May 11, 2017 at 4:30pm
I fully agree tickets need to be written, I'm simply stating that many times the officers are not supported when they do. I know for a fact that many of the judges are tossing the citations. Why put your a-- on the line for that. It is a more complex issue than what you are proposing.
Permalink Reply by ad on May 11, 2017 at 5:21pm

There's also a pretty well-known issue with officers not showing up to court, etc.  It's not just judges tossing otherwise valid tickets.  My wife was ticketed once for her role in a car accident based on a failure to yield, and the officer who ticketed her straight up told her he wouldn't show to court if she challenged it; and guess what, he didn't show.  

I agree the police are "shutting down," but I think it has more to do with a protest against the stop reports that resulted from the ACLU's victory in fed court more than anything else, and I'm not hugely sympathetic on that point.  The stop reports were instituted for a reason, and if police want to stop having to use them, they need to adopt some systemic change.     

Permalink Reply by Dave Schwarz on May 11, 2017 at 5:31pm
Agreed. I'm sure the stop reports play one of many factors. We could debate about the state of the law enforcement profession and society at large till the cows come home. Another factor is that distracted driving does not appear to be a priority both within the police department and the general public at large, which often drives their policy.
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 12, 2017 at 9:21am

I agree. Until we do enough shaming to stigmatize distracted driving to the degree that drunk driving has become stigmatized, that's unlikely to change.

Permalink Reply by curt(is) locke on May 12, 2017 at 11:13am

Reboot MMADD -- Mad Mothers Against Distracted Driving?

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 12, 2017 at 2:25pm

Or something similar - YES!

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on May 14, 2017 at 11:51am
Follow up editorial comment from the Tribune article.

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-93298084/

"Drivers will continue to imperil themselves and the motorists, cyclists and pedestrians in their path."

"Distracted driving can and does lead to injuries and deaths. If police don't take it seriously, neither will motorists."

Here's hoping this will change.
Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on June 16, 2017 at 4:43am

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