Medium-sized cities in California, like Fresno and Bakersfield, may be changing the way they write traffic tickets.

Officers in San Mateo County just completed their tenth STEP campaign in this calendar year. This time, seventeen officers concentrated on Menlo Park and East Palo Alto, stopping over 140 vehicles and issuing 129 citations in one day. Over half were cellphone tickets; speeding, no seat belt, following too close, and running a stop sign made up most of the rest. Dragnet officers also arrested ten people: five for no drivers’ license and five for driving on suspended licenses.

“The number of stops and citations during this most recent deployment reflect a sustained enthusiasm for this program and traffic safety on the Peninsula,” declared Burlingame Police Cpl. Mike Martyn.

Saturation Enforcement

There is very little evidence that Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs effectively change driver habits, which is the underlying goal in these efforts. However, STEP campaigns make officers feel like they are making a difference as opposed to being the Dutch boy with his thumb in a dike, so cities are basically willing to gamble that these programs will make a difference.

The latest San Mateo County effort focused on distracted driving, and when the new cellphone law takes effect, there will probably be many more such saturation efforts regarding the new hold-and-use VC 23123. Starting January 1, any cellphone use is prohibited; the current law only applies to talking and texting.

Did you notice that nearly all the stopped drivers received citations? That’s fairly characteristic of STEP campaigns, and when borderline tickets go to court, there is often not enough evidence to establish guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Getting Legal Help

The aggressive attorneys at Bigger & Harman, APC, are committed to giving individuals a voice when dealing with speeding and traffic tickets. Call today at 661-349-9300 or email attorney@markbigger.com to receive the personal professional attention you deserve. En español, llame al 661-349-9755.