Local News

Redmond Launches Effort to Slow Drivers

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond Police, Public Works and the Redmond School District launched an effort Monday to get drivers to slow down, especially in school zones. Sgt. Curtis Chambers says grant money helped Redmond PD purchase three new lidars to help crack down on speeders. The units are similar to a radar gun, but uses light from a laser. And, he tells KBND News the department joined with Public Works to get a covert device that mounts on power or light poles to help identify trouble spots. "This is not a photo radar speed enforcement tool like some larger cities, like Portland and Salem, may have. This is simply data collection so we can better tailor our response to a problem with the limited resources we have."

 

According to Sgt. Chambers, a pedestrian hit by a vehicle going 20 MPH has a 90% chance of survival. "At 30 mph, so just 10 mph above the school zone speed limit, a pedestrian only has a 50/50 chance of surviving those injuries. And, if we’re talking 40 mph, a pedestrian only has a 10% chance of surviving those injuries. And, since we’re talking school zones, we’re talking kids." He adds, "That’s the focus of the 'Slow Down Redmond' campaign and our partnership with the Redmond School District: it only takes one inattentive driver, one driver going much faster than they should in a school zone, that may have some very unfortunate consequences for all involved if there were a vehicle vs. pedestrian crash in a school zone."

 

The campaign is in response to results from a recent community survey. "The majority of the open-ended responses that the city received dealt with speeding vehicles in school zones and neighborhoods," says Sgt. Chambers. “Slow Down Redmond” yard signs are available for free at Redmond elementary schools, City Hall and the police department.  
 

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