The California Highway Patrol has a new tool to stop reckless drivers who travel at triple digit speeds and engage in road rage: Low-profile, specially marked patrol vehicles.
The agency will deploy 100 of the cars, Dodge Duragos, to give officers “an important advantage.”
Stream San Diego News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC 7.
WATCH HERE“They will allow us to identify and stop drivers who are putting others at risk while still showing a professional and visible presence once enforcement action is needed,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee.
The new fleet of vehicles, black-colored with gray markings, meant to blend in with other cars on the road, so officers can observe dangerous drivers without “immediate detection.”
Get top local San Diego stories delivered to you every morning with our News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP As speed is blamed for 30% of crashes, often fatal, on California roadways, the CHP said the new vehicles will help prevent deaths and injuries while cracking down on “video game-styled” driving.
“In the real world, aggressive lane weaving, triple-digit speeds and road rage aren’t part of a high-score strategy—they’re deadly,” the CHP said.
U.S. & World
The first 25 incognito vehicles will be positioned across the state this week.
And next month, all of the specially marked cars will be deployed to high-risk roadways, the CHP said.
There are nearly 1,000 daily reports of reckless driving across the state with over 390,000 crashes annually.
