WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |Alabama State Troopers Promise Traffic Crackdown After Fatalities Increase

Alabama State Troopers Promise Traffic Crackdown After Fatalities Increase

The latest numbers show Alabama is zooming to the top, but it isn't a list anyone wants to lead.

More than 1200 people died in Alabama traffic accidents last year, up five percent from 2005. At the same time, nationwide traffic deaths are down.

Now, because of those statistics. Alabama State Troopers are introducing a new week long program designed to lower the number of fatalities.

"Let's take back our highways," said State Trooper commander Col. Chris Murphy.

When Murphy announced the program Thursday morning, state troopers said they wouldn't intensify their enforcement duty until August 13th.

But ask any of the drivers pulled over on I-65 Thursday afternoon and they'll tell you the place called the Purple Heart Trail is actually the Blue Light Special.

Mannerial Patel is a hotel owner/manager from Memphis, Tennessee. He was one of the drivers stopped.

"The police stopped me and told me I was doing 82 miles an hour...but I wasn't," he protested.

The new initiative will put every single officer - no matter of rank or division - on the road to deliver a message.

"Any way you look at it, too many people are dying on Alabama road ways," said Col. Murphy.

The last four years have seen a steady increase in fatalities, from 1007deaths in 2003 to 1208 fatalities in 2006.

The answer, troopers say, is for drivers to see more blue lights.

When we first came to I-65 Thursday afternoon, traffic was zooming by.

But after about 20 minutes, when most people saw the blue lights, something else happened. People slowed down, and that's what the troopers say is their goal.

"We know there are primary traffic violations that causes traffic crashes and contribute to the severity of traffic crashes," Murphy said.

Which is why they wont just look for speeders.

One SUV driver we saw made a simple mistake; not using a turn signal when he changed lanes. He was stopped, and that will cost him a traffic fine.

Don't expect to see officers just on interstates. The numbers show the vast majority of Alabama deaths happen on rural roads, so that's where you'll find officers.

Their target; anything that might cause a traffic accident from DUI to speeding, even the failure to yield the right of way.   

Col. Murphy says he'll have about 200 extra officers on the roads, including ABI agents, even driver's license examiners.

But he says the week long initiative won't take any officers away from critical duties.

Reporter: Chris Holmes