SLPD Speed Enforcement Effort Reduces Accidents, Improves Safety on Roadways

Sugar Land, Texas – Compliance with posted speed limits improved 16 percent during the first year of the Sugar Land Police Department’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP).

The enforcement initiative – funded with an $85,251 grant from the Texas Department of Transportation – also resulted in a 10 percent reduction in accidents since Oct. 1, 2010.

The grant period is from Oct. 1, 2010, through Sept. 30, 2013.  The STEP grant provides overtime to staff increased traffic enforcement in targeted areas, an extra resource that does not affect SLPD’s normal operations.

Speeding continues to be the number one factor contributing to accidents within Sugar Land.  The police department uses crash data, speed surveys and information supplied by residents to identify those areas where additional enforcement is needed.

SLPD speed surveys conducted prior to the STEP grant indicated only 19 percent of drivers were obeying posted speed limits at some of the STEP grant’s targeted intersections, and compliance was below 50 percent at every targeted location.