Gwinnett traffic accidents plunge

Gwinnett police say there has been a marked decrease in traffic collisions since its Highway Interdiction Team began patroling the interstates early this year.

There were 500 fewer accidents on Interstates 85 and 985 during the six month period from March 1 to October 1, compared to the same time frame last year, said Gwinnett police spokesman Cpl. David Schiralli. The number of accidents dropped from 1,905 in 2007 to 1,434 in 2008. That is about two fewer accidents every day, Schiralli said.

“It appears that the high visibility of patrols is making an impact on the drivers along the interstate,” Schiralli said. “The mere presence of an active law enforcement unit such as H.I.T. is influencing driver behavior without interfering with the criminal interdiction mission.”

Gwinnett police believe the department’s DUI Task Force, which lately has been concentrating its efforts on the interstates, is also contributing to the decrease in motor vehicle accidents.

The Highway Interdiction Team was formed earlier this year to intercept drugs and other criminal activity on the interstate. Since February, six officers on the team have seized more than $12 million worth of drugs and arrested more than 60 people on a variety of charges, said supervisor Sgt. Jim Price.

The H.I.T. targets aggressive drivers and equipment violations more often than speeders. However, people are slowing down and driving more carefully when they see the patrol cars, Price said.

“We may sit in the same spot for 30, 40, 50 minutes before we stop somebody, but everybody going by sees the police,” said Price. “We noticed immediately the reduction in the accidents when we started getting out, especially on the two-lane portion north of I-985. We’re out here, everybody knows we’re out here and they’re driving more cautiously.”