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CLOUDY Temp: 61 °F Wind: WNW at 5 mph Monday, September 29, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 20, 2003 Traffic accident fatalities rise Drunken drivers account for a large share of the deaths, and law officers plan to increase patrols By ANITA BURKE Mail Tribune The number of people killed in car crashes in Jackson County this year has soared over the previous year’s figures. The Jackson County sheriff’s department places the blame partly on intoxicated drivers using back roads and is looking at ways to boost traffic enforcement on those roads. Through the end of August, 21 people have died on the county’s roadways this year, according to statistics compiled by the sheriff’s office and Oregon Department of Transportation. In the first eight months of 2002, 14 people died in vehicle accidents. Fourteen of this year’s fatal accidents, two-thirds of the total, have involved intoxicated drivers, sheriff’s Capt. C.W. Smith said. Advertisement That’s well above the national average of 37 percent and the statewide average of 40 percent, he said. "The accidents are on secondary back roads, so that indicates people (who are driving while impaired) are avoiding heavily enforced areas," Smith said. Sites of fatal accidents dot the county, but only three occurred this year in urban areas. There have been no fatalities in the city of Medford. "They have an active traffic team," Smith said. "Proactive traffic enforcement reduces deaths substantially." Lt. Tim George, commander of Medford PoliceDepartment’s patrol division, notes that city collisions are often less deadly than high-speed crashes common on rural highways, but agrees that the city’s enforcement and education efforts deserve some of the credit. While city streets have more traffic than rural roads, speeds are slower and curbs and sidewalks help prevent potentially deadly roll-overs when vehicles leave the road, he explained. In addition, the city aggressively cracks down on intoxicated drivers, arresting about 600 people each year on charges of driving under the influence of intoxicants, George said. "DUII arrests are the only form of preventing homicide," he said. "It takes an extremely hazardous situation out of production." The department’s photo-enforcement program that uses cameras to catch speeders and red-light runners also helps keep city streets safe, he said. The sheriff’s department would like to enhance its traffic enforcement in hopes of trimming the number of roadway deaths, Smith said. "We’ve got a serious problem and we are trying diligently to do something about it," he said. At the direction of Sheriff Mike Winters, Smith is developing a budget for a traffic team. He plans to seek a $75,000 grant from Oregon Department of Transportation to pay the lion’s share of salary, benefits and equipment for an officer who would be assigned solely to traffic patrol. He and other county administrators are evaluating whether a recent increase by state courts in the fines levied for traffic violations might provide enough money to hire two additional traffic officers. Local law enforcement already receives a share of such fines. The department would like to have a sergeant, a supervisor and three deputies assigned to traffic patrols, Smith said. They would work during peak travel times. "Traffic enforcement takes a dedicated effort," he said. "It’s very time-intensive. If a deputy has to work cases and traffic, he can’t be consistent" in doing regular traffic patrols. Reach reporter Anita Burke at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] . Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times