100 citations seen during traffic blitz
Published 11:59 pm Thursday, June 4, 2009
This year’s local Click-It-Or-Ticket blitz was deemed a productive one by area law enforcement.
Two departments participating — the Covington County Sheriff’s Office and the Opp Police Department — issued 100 citations during the annual Memorial Day selective traffic enforcement blitz funded by an Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs grant and the Southeast Alabama Regional Highway Safety Division at Enterprise-Ozark.
Deputies worked 30 hours of overtime during the two-week blitz, which ended May 30. Sheriff Dennis Meeks said Wednesday, a total of 76 citations were issued and ranged from speeding and seat belt and insurance violations, and a number of warning citations were also issued, he said. Deputies also made 75 other contacts during regular working hours.
Areas targeted were U.S. Hwy. 331, U.S. Hwy. 84, State Hwy. 55, State Hwy. 137 and numerous county roads.
“We always consider it an opportunity to make sure the citizens of Covington County are safe on our roadways and that any visitor through our area has a safe trip,” Meeks said.
Opp Assistant Police Chief Mike McDonald said officers worked 24 hours of overtime and made a total of 48 contacts on Memorial Day weekend alone.
“It was a short period of time, so there was not a wide window on it,” McDonald said. “The rain impacted us quite a bit. Also the 65 mph speed limit on Alabama 299 and U.S. Hwy. 84 between Opp and Andalusia impacted our numbers.”
McDonald said motorists “for the most part” observed the newly posted speed limit, but he did catch some motorists operating in excess of 85 mph on the roadways.
“There’s a lot of secondary roads and driveways along those highways,” he said. “People are traveling very fast, so drivers need to pay attention on those roadways.
“If people aren’t paying attention or don’t give themselves enough time to get across the four lane, there could be a serious accident,” he said. “And we don’t want that.”