During Tuesday evening’s (June 25th) Danville City Council Public Services Committee meeting, Police Chief Christopher Yates’ report included some comments about the electronic speed limit signs now up at various points around the city. He says if you just park nearby and watch, you can see drivers tapping their breaks once the sign informs them of their current speed.
Another point Chief Yates mentioned was that if you are caught speeding through an electronic speed limit sign zone, do not assume you are getting just a warning. Yates says that from the Danville Police Department’s point of view, that sign informing you of your speed IS your warning. And your attitude upon being stopped can also influence the final verdict. He says officers pay close attention to that.
AUDIO: All we want them to do is realize; hey, if you’re speeding you’re speeding; slow it down, help us out. Well we’d like to think that the sign is going to warn you. But, a lot of that depends on officer discretion; and whether or not they believe that the person is going to slow down with a verbal or written warning. If they seem like more of a hardened case, they’re probably going to get written documentation as far as why they should slow down.
Chief Yates says, yes, there have been signs of traffic crashes going down in some areas. But he also says more time will be needed for empirical data on the impact of the electronic speed limit signs.
