Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks Program Kicking Off in Two States

Authorities in Indiana and Washington are beginning a new effort targeting dangerous driving by operators of both semis and four-wheelers.

The Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks program from the Federal Motor Carrier Administration uses both education and high-visibility enforcement in an effort to reduce truck-involved crashes.

The Indiana campaign began on Sunday and runs through June 8.

Troopers will specifically look for motorists driving dangerously around semi trucks and other commercial motor vehicles. Some of the violations troopers will be concentrating on include unsafe lane changes, failure to yield the right of way, following too closely and aggressive driving.

A similar campaign in Washington state will be much shorter, running May 20-24, but police will ride along with truckers. When a trooper spots a car or other truck speeding, cutting others off or driving aggressively, a trooper will radio ahead to fellow officers to stop the person behind the wheel.

This is the fourth effort by the Washington State Patrol in a recent series, with the first one taking place in September 2012. During that one, 280 tickets were issued and troopers conducted 18 commercial motor vehicle inspections. In the second, last December, 286 car drivers and 23 commercial motor vehicle drivers receiving tickets for driving aggressively around other big trucks.

Troopers will concentrate their efforts along parts of I-5, I-90, I-405 as well as state routes 18 and 167.