Slow It Down, Operation Pump The Brakes Is Being Enforced By Longview Police
It seems like nearly everyone on the road is in a hurry these days. Being in a hurry can lead you to go a little faster than the posted speed limit and possibly take on extra risk when you come to a yellow light that's about to turn red and you go ahead and blow through the intersection after that light has turned red.
Operation: Pump The Brakes is in full effect right now in Longview, Texas. Longview police are stepping up enforcement for speeding, red-light running, and racing within the city.
The goal is to make the city's roads safer by going back to basics and enforcing speed limits and traffic control devices that have been in place for years. Longview Police Chief, Anthony Boone, made this announcement last week during the Longview City Council meeting.
He tells the council that his officers will initially focus on Loop 281 and the roads surrounding the loop. In addition, patrol officers will be stepping up enforcement along Eastman Rd., Gilmer Rd., Hawkins Parkway, McCann Rd. and Highway 80/Marshall Ave.
Our goal is not to increase revenue — that’s not what this is about. But this is to reduce social harms, and crashes are definitely social harms. -Chief Boone, Longview Police Department.
Since the beginning of May Longview has seen a rash of serious crashes along these roadways due to speeding, red-light running, and racing. On April 30th two lives were lost in two different accidents involving motorcycles.
So while driving the streets of Longview, or any East Texas roadway for that fact, slow down and when the light turns yellow, go ahead and prepare to stop, and don't fly through the intersection after it's turned red. Chief Boone said at the council meeting, "Sometimes sitting through a light and waiting 90 seconds is much, much better than the consequences of a crash."