DCSO to boost spring break traffic enforcement

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office will be increasing traffic enforcement presence during the upcoming spring break week.

The increased presence will begin Saturday and continue through Sunday, April 1st. Spring break week is expected to bring increased vehicle traffic to the Central Oregon area as families travel to and through Deschutes County on vacation, Sgt. William Bailey said Thursday in a news release.

These additional deputies will be focusing on distracted and unsafe driving behaviors utilizing marked and unmarked sheriff’s office vehicles.

Bailey said members of the community have also asked for more enforcement in specific driving behaviors. These behaviors include the use of cellphones while driving, following other vehicles too closely, unsafe speeds, and the use of off-road lighting on our public roadways. These driving behaviors are often contributing factors to the motor vehicle crashes in the community.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office responded to 22 motor vehicle crashes during the spring break week in 2017.

The sheriff’s office largely focuses on education during traffic enforcement, always with the goal of changing driving behaviors for the better.

“Please drive safe during the upcoming spring break week,” Bailey said.

You can read more about distracted driving at http://www.oregon.gov/odot/safety/pages/distracted.aspx.