MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE -- Starting Aug. 23, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune and satellite installations will begin an Aggressive Driving Campaign to reduce and hopefully eliminate unsafe driving practices.
The campaign will target aggressive drivers who follow too closely, drive while intoxicated, use a mobile device that is not hands-free and drive too fast.
“Our goal is to stop aggressive drivers before someone gets hurt,” said Lt. Col. Robert Stanford, the provost marshal for MCB Camp Lejeune. “It doesn’t take much; only driving 25 miles per hour, and a Dodge Ram flipped at the Holcomb Boulevard traffic circle.”
Statistics for 2009 showed that there were 155 driving while intoxicated violations, 377 seatbelt violations and 93 cases of being 15 mph or more over the speed limit. For 2010, even though the year is not finished, the amount of violations has already surpassed last year’s. Already there are 178 cases of 15 mph or more over the speed limit, 397 seatbelt violations and 108 DWI violations.
“We have an accident investigation division that will be giving briefs to oncoming shifts, and we are also equipping more military policemen with radar (guns),” said 1st Lt. Christopher Marsh, officer in charge for special operations, Provost Marshal’s Office, MCB Camp Lejeune. “There are going to be more eyes on the roads and they’ll be paying more attention to the factors that cause aggressive driving. We’re not taking this lightly.”
Areas of focus include school and housing zones as well as certain physical training locations. These areas gain special attention because of the children that will soon be walking to and from school as well as service members who PT on certain roads.
“Drivers may sometimes see a group of service members running and may want to pass them up or are late for work and speed up a little -these are accidents waiting to happen,” said Stanford. “Our goal is to prevent this from happening.”
Stanford also stated that soon they will begin educating the public so that everyone is aware of what the campaign’s goals are. There will be signs throughout Camp Lejeune stating locations of crosswalks so people will know where to cross.
“We’re not setting people up for failure, this campaign is about everyone’s safety,” said Stanford. “People need to slow down, pay attention and be courteous to other drivers and people on the roads. It’s about making the base safer for everyone who lives and works aboard the base.”