MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- It has been approximately two months since the aggressive driving campaign started, and the Provost Marshal’s Office aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune is stating that goals of the campaign are slowly coming to fruition.
The campaign is aimed to battling drunk driving, speeding, using a mobile device with no hands-free equipment and driving without use of a seatbelt.
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. The number of violations for 2010 has already surpassed last year’s.
However, since the campaign has kicked off, 1st Lt. Chris Marsh, special operations officer in charge with PMO, MCB Camp Lejeune, stated that traffic collisions were becoming less frequent aboard the base.
“Compared to last September collisions are down by 15 percent,” said Marsh. “This is significantly lower and as the program continues we hope the percentage can drop down to 50 percent.”
Marsh said that the times when most of the aggressive driving occurs is between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Most of the citations given are because service members make wrong choices.
“The ‘other category’ includes speeding but below 15 miles per hour, tailgating and other small stuff is where most violations happen,” said Marsh.
Many service members are also breaking seatbelt violations.
“Seatbelt violations are also a concern,” stated Marsh. “They’re there for the safety of the drivers and passengers; it’s a small step to take to ensure their safety.”
Speeding is also a concern to the military police aboard the base. Speeding not only puts the driver and passengers at risk but other drivers as well.
“There’s no reason to be in that much of a hurry that people have to put lives at risk,” said Marsh. “Not only do you risk the lives of the drivers and passengers but other families and service members aboard the base as well.”
PMO is pulling out all the stops to ensure service members practice safe driving wherever they go. There are more military police officers patrolling in vehicles, and radars are scattered throughout Camp Lejeune to ensure drivers know how fast they are moving.
“Our end goal is to reduce traffic collisions and improve driver safety,” said Marsh. “So far we are currently reaching that goal.”