Bad drivers warned, caught
No matter how hard you try, some people just don't get the message.
Despite heavy advertising and lighted warning signs, scores of motorists traveling Friday on Ogden Avenue between Hinsdale and Yorkville still fell prey to a multi-agency traffic enforcement campaign organized by Naperville police.
"We are disappointed that despite our media releases, high visibility and traffic message board display, we still wrote 75 citations," Cmdr. Mike Anders, head of the Naperville police traffic division, said Wednesday. "Thirty-three were for speeding."
Nine municipalities and Illinois State Police participated in the campaign aimed at clamping down on speeders, motorists not wearing seat belts and red-light violations.
Lisle had the second most violations with 46, Sgt. Ron Wilke said. The department used just two officers specifically for the detail that ran from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"Obviously the goal with any traffic safety campaign is to reduce speeds and increase safety to reduce accidents," Wilke said. "We're hoping to see a halo effect where motorists see police in one town and slow down and pay attention throughout their drive through other towns."
Speeding was the most common offense for the 260-plus citations handed out Friday. In all, 92 were issued for speeding and 61 for seat-belt violations.
The stretch of Ogden Avenue where departments held the special patrol spanned more than 35 miles.
During the campaign there was only one accident -- in Downers Grove -- and no injuries were reported.
Anders said state police concentrated their efforts on commercial truck traffic enforcement. They handed out 21 citations.
Friday's campaign was similar to one staged by communities along Route 59 several months ago that netted similar results.
By the numbers
A look at how many tickets were issued by each department during the recent traffic enforcement on Ogden Avenue between Hinsdale and Yorkville.
Naperville: 75
Lisle: 46
Downers Grove: 40
Westmont: 21
Illinois State Police: 21
Yorkville: 20
Oswego: 19
Aurora: 16
Clarendon Hills: 3
Hinsdale: 2