A city not too far from Fresno is getting serious about traffic tickets.

Officers in Manteca have issued 86 percent more tickets this year for speeding, distracted driving, and running stop signs/stop lights than in 2015. In contrast, the overall number of traffic tickets inched up a mere 5 percent. Manteca is in the midst of a yearlong stepped-up enforcement campaign, which was underwritten by the California Office of Traffic Safety and other agencies, after seven traffic-related deaths in the past three years. City officials last implemented such a campaign in 2009, following another spike in fatalities.

The city claims it actually loses money during these time periods, as it receives only a fraction of the revenue the tickets generate.

STEP and Saturation Enforcement

Briefly, a Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program, like the one in place in Manteca, is typically funded by the state or federal government. During a saturation enforcement campaign, officers are pulled off their normal schedules and redeployed in a new area with specific instructions.

Patty Hearst, who is somewhat of an authority on the subject, once said that “trouble is very easy to find when you go looking for it.” That same logic applies to periods of stepped-up enforcement. If officers are instructed to write more citations for a certain infraction or in a certain area, that is exactly what they’ll do.

Because the financial margins in these programs are so thin, officers are under tremendous pressure to issue more tickets and fewer warnings. So, there are often write-ups in borderline situations. This attitude can be an effective defense when the ticket goes to trial, giving additional leverage to the defendant.

Getting Legal Help

The aggressive lawyers at Bigger & Harman, APC, are committed to giving individuals a voice when dealing with speeding and traffic tickets. Call today at 661-859-1177 or email attorney@markbigger.com to receive the personal professional attention you deserve. En español, llame al 661-376-0214.