Poll Shows Fear of Speeders

Los Angeles residents rank the danger of speeding drivers alongside drugs and crime, and ahead of youth gangs, according to a private survey commissioned by the Los Angeles Police Department.

“With all the crime, gang and narcotics problems in Los Angeles, I was surprised that traffic was that high of a priority on the part of the community,” said LAPD Cmdr. Art Lopez, the department’s traffic chief.

The LAPD is studying the survey results to guide community-based policing efforts in city neighborhoods. About 1,200 people who completed the survey in English, Spanish and Korean shared traffic problems as a top concern. The written survey, which was commissioned by the LAPD’s traffic division, was mailed to residents randomly selected citywide.

“The bottom line is that people in neighborhoods are really bothered most by speeding cars and disorder in their neighborhoods,” said James Lasley, an associate professor of criminal justice at Cal State Fullerton who administered the survey. “Traffic affects the average person more than anything else.”

Although citizens are generally satisfied with the services provided by LAPD traffic officers, most said they want to see stepped-up enforcement against speeding drivers and drunk drivers, according to results of the city-funded survey.

More than 70% said they believe the officers do an “excellent” or “pretty good” job at handling accidents. But less than half of those surveyed said the department did as good a job at catching dangerous drivers.

As a result, a desire for officers to catch more drunk drivers and speeders topped the public’s traffic enforcement wish list.

Most citizens blamed younger drivers for causing neighborhood traffic problems, Lasley said.

The survey’s findings are significant because they also focus attention on the importance of officers being courteous with citizens, Lasley said.

“This study showed that people actually tended to judge the performance of Los Angeles traffic officers based on how they acted,” he said. “Those surveyed described LAPD officers as being extremely friendly and understanding, which is amazing given the fact that traffic enforcement is primarily a negative aspect of police work.”

Indeed, most of those surveyed gave good or excellent ratings to traffic officers for helpfulness, attitude and politeness, with citizens reserving their highest ratings for the officers’ appearance.

Lopez, the LAPD’s traffic coordinator, said he plans to share the survey results with traffic officers.

“The public has sent a loud and clear message of what they want,” Lopez said.

Some relief has already been delivered to residents worried about speeders.

The LAPD’s West Traffic Division, for example, has begun supplying radar equipment to residents so they can write down the license plate numbers of speeding drivers, who then receive warning letters from police. Lopez said his office is working with Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Feuer to obtain city funds to expand the program throughout Feuer’s district.

Meanwhile, in the San Fernando Valley, traffic officers have mounted special campaigns aimed at speeders, as well as motorists who drive without a license or allow their automobile registration to expire. During the first half of the year, more than 1,500 vehicles were impounded in the registration crackdown.

By early next year, Lopez said, he hopes to have high-tech surveillance cameras installed at some of the city’s most dangerous intersections to catch motorists who drive through red lights.

The LAPD is hoping that the camera technology, which must be approved by the City Council, will reduce the number of collisions by recording the license plate numbers of drivers who ignore the traffic signals.