Police radar takes aim at speeding drivers

University Police say the device will slow traffic on Walnut Street, making it safer for pedestrians. Students and faculty have long complained about careless drivers who rocket down Walnut Street at speeds that often exceed the speed limit by as much as 40 miles per hour. But the drivers who have been responsible for hitting numerous students in recent years will soon be facing a new enemy -- a high-tech radar tracking device designed to identify speeders. Last Friday, University Police demonstrated the system at the corner of 33rd and Walnut streets. The radar, which was tested regularly between September 21 and October 16, is part of Operation Cross Walk -- a pedestrian safety program jointly developed by the University's Division of Public Safety and the Mayor's Office of Transportation. The speed trap is conducted by two police teams. Officers operate the radar at one corner, where the speed of passing cars is displayed on a large electronic sign mounted atop an officers' vehicle. If the speed is above the limit, the officers radio to the second team, parked one block ahead. The second team then stops the speeding car, verifies the driver's license, registration, and insurance. If all checks out, the driver is free to go, unless he has committed another violation. Under state law, only state troopers can give speeding tickets using radar. As a result, Penn Police can only issue warnings unless the speeding driver has committed other traffic violations. But not being able to give speeding tickets does not necessarily make the radar initiative unproductive, according to police. "The purpose of the radar is to educate drivers," said University Police Lt. Tom Messner, who was involved in the demonstration. "We want to let drivers know how fast they were going and tell them what the speed limit is." Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush was on hand for the demonstration, and later explained her hopes for both the radar and Operation Cross Walk. "Our goal is not to give tickets," Rush noted. "We're out here to bring attention to the fact that Walnut is a very dangerous street. People, both drivers and pedestrians, need to take care, especially during high volume, high traffic times." Operation Cross Walk has used a similar radar in years past and has even distributed informational flyers to pedestrians in hopes of making the area safer. The results of the radar test period indicated the potential danger on Walnut Street. During the month-long experiment, police stopped 36 vehicles for speeding. The fastest car was clocked at 76 miles per hour, and the average speed of violators was 53 miles per hour -- well over Walnut Street's 35 miles per hour limit. "When people are snagged for going 76 miles per hour, the picture is worth a thousand words," Rush said. "The look on their faces is incredible." Friday's demonstration gave a clear indication of the radar's influence. Many drivers traveling at high speeds immediately hit the brakes after they spotted the radar crew. "The program is for the safety of the pedestrian. If drivers know the laws are going to be enforced, they will obey. If we get people to slow down, it will be a positive step," said Penn Police Officer Joe Fischer. Walnut Street has traditionally been a place where drivers "open up their speed," according to Rush. In recent years, she noted, several Penn students have been struck and seriously injured by motorists. One incident occurred last April, when a College freshman broke his leg when a car struck him on the 3900 block of Walnut Street. Messner added that "getting run over is just as big a problem as getting mugged or some other type of crime." Each year, about 50 pedestrians are killed in Philadelphia, and another 2,500 are injured in collisions with cars, according to police statistics. Rush cited bad driving as the No. 1 cause of accidents. "The skill of drivers has absolutely decreased in recent years. People are in more hurries, bigger rushes, and, as a result, are going faster," she said. Although the radar monitoring system was on loan from another area law-enforcement agency and will now travel to another district, Penn Police are looking to purchase similar equipment in the near future. Until then, they will continue their ongoing traffic enforcement detail, which includes stopping motorists for traffic violations but not giving tickets.

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