Cops, the City of Maple Ridge and ICBC are kickstarting a campaign to get lead-foots to think about their speed.
Seven new speed reader boards have been set up at prime locations along Maple Ridge roads in an attempt to curb speeding motorists. The boards have been in those locations for two months in mute mode, silently collecting data from passing cars.
Now they're ready to be activated and start flashing the speeds of passing vehicles in an attempt to alert motorists when they're going too fast.
“Speed, disobeying traffic lights and signs, following too close and illegal lane changes all contribute to aggressive driving, which frequently results in crashes," Sgt. Bruce McCowan, the local RCMP's traffic supervisor said in a Friday news release.
Speed reader boards make drivers more aware of their speed, and encourage them to slow down to avoid crashes with other vehicles or pedestrians, he added.
RCMP have seen a spike in speeding in the last few years which they say is not a result of increased enforcement.
“In 2016, a total of 565 drivers were charged (for excessive speeding, by 40 kmh over the limit) and their vehicles were automatically impounded for one week,“ McCowan said.
That compares to 320 excessive speeding tickets issued in 2015, which itself, was a bad year.
”All of us on council get phone calls and e-mails about people driving at excessive speeds in neighbourhoods throughout the community," Mayor Nicole Read added in the release.
"This program is a great partnership to educate us on our behaviour behind the wheel. This is a community filled with young families and we all need to slow down and drive safely and responsibly."
Kate Woochuk, local ICBC road safety coordinator, said the speed reader boards are a valuable awareness tool to encourage drivers to slow down and reduce their risk of crashing.
"Fewer crashes and injuries also help keep rates as low as possible.”
Speed reader board locations are:
• Lougheed Highway in the 23000 block (both west and east bound)
• Dewdney Trunk Road at Dover Street
• 240th Street in the 11800-block
• 232nd Street at 122 Avenue
• 128th Avenue just west of Laity Street
• 128th Avenue in the 22000-block