With traffic deaths at 12-year high, states trying to pu

MIAMI -- On an isolated stretch of Florida highway, police surprised 200 drag racers and spectators in an early morning bust. Washington state sent out a task force of troopers in unmarked cars to target aggressive drivers. New Jersey put its motorists to work with a toll-free hotline for reporting reckless drivers.

With traffic deaths at their highest level in 12 years, states nationwide are cracking down on all types of aggressive drivers, from illegal street racers to tailgating commuters.

"I guess you can say we were fed up," said Lt. Julio Pajon of the Florida Highway Patrol, which organized the street racing sting this month near Miami.

Last year alone, 42,815 people died in traffic accidents, the most since 1990, when 44,599 people were killed, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Aggressive driving, drunken driving and racing were all significant contributors to the increase, the agency said.

To fight the deadly trend, states have been passing tougher laws, increasing fines and threatening jail time to try to curb aggressive driving. They're also urging more community involvement, particularly tips from other drivers.

Arizona, California, Delaware, Nevada, Rhode Island and Utah are among states with laws specifically targeting aggressive drivers. In Florida and most other states, officers can note aggressive driving on a citation, but no specific law exists.

Most states describe aggressive driving as excessive speeding combined with at least two other infractions, such as running red lights or reckless weaving.

In Arizona, which passed the first such law in 1998, drivers who simultaneously speed and commit at least two reckless driving offenses face a $250 fine and 30-day license suspension. In Delaware, aggressive drivers can be fined up to $300, more than double a speeding fine, and could face up to 30 days in jail.

Judie Stone, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a victim's advocacy and public policy group in Washington, said tougher laws can help draw attention to the problem.

"It seems that society has become more hostile and drivers are more likely to take risks and get angry on the road," she said. "People need to know how dangerous this behavior can be."

New Jersey involves the public in nabbing offenders. Signs along the state's major highways and turnpikes encourage motorists to report aggressive drivers by dialing 77. The 6-year-old hot line has received about 600 calls a day since the state started promoting it in June.

Officers respond to every hot line call, though the state hasn't yet determined whether the effort curbs bad driving behavior, said Lt. Al Della Fave of the New Jersey State Police.

"We've got a lot of people looking out, so it's been a success in that way," Della Fave said.

This year, the state of Washington assigned more than 20 troopers to patrol highways and streets in unmarked cars. Through July, they had stopped 4,442 aggressive drivers -- a 198 percent increase compared with all of 2002, said department spokesman Lt. Mike DePalma.

Florida drivers can expect more drag racing stings, Pajon said. Troopers used helicopters and video surveillance in the Aug. 1 operation; they impounded cars and even arrested spectators. "They wouldn't race if they didn't have an audience," Pajon said.

A 2001 Florida law bumped street racing from a violation to a misdemeanor. Repeat offenders face a $1,000 fine and two-year license suspension, and spectators can be charged with illegal assembly. Reno, Nev. and San Diego, Calif., also recently passed ordinances that make watching drag races a crime.

In South Bay, Fla., the war on drag racing has become personal for police. In June, Officer William Lacasse's 17-year-old son, Willie Jr., died while drag racing another car on a city street.

"I don't want what happened to my son to happen to anybody else," the officer said.

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On the Net

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/Rpts/2003/Assess02.pdf