Deputies look to crack down on speeding

LANCASTER — The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Lancaster Station deputies continue to look for ways to reduce the number of fatal traffic collisions in their jurisdiction.

In an effort to enforce the speed limit and reduce speed-related fatalities, deputies assigned to Traffic Detail, along with members of the LANCAP and patrol units, recently conducted a speed enforcement operation on Avenue K near Elm Avenue in Lancaster.

“This operation is part of our ongoing effort to reduce fatal injury traffic collisions in the city,” a news release from Lancaster Station Sgt. Michael Politano said. “This operation was part of our ongoing effort to reduce fatal and injury traffic collisions in the city.”

The effort resulted in more than 70 citations being issued during the three-hour operation.

In 2020, there were 29 fatal traffic collisions and more than 800 injury collisions in Lancaster, according to the news release. In nearly 60% of the fatal traffic collisions,

speed was a factor.

“The speed involved in a collision is directly related to the extent of the injury the parties endure,” the news release said.

Politano said this year’s fatal collisions are still being investigated, but so far, there have been five in Lancaster.

“As far as injury collisions for this year, our stats are about two months behind, so I only have January, which was 72,” he wrote in an email response to a question about this year’s statistics, so far.

Politano said the primary factors in fatal collisions vary, but the most common factors are intoxication and speed.

“Not only is speed directly related to the injury, but it has an effect on perception of other motorists when it comes to preparing for left turns and exiting driveways,” he said. “Motorists believe they have sufficient time to make the maneuver or enter traffic based on a reasonable expectation that the motorists on the highway are driving near the speed limit, but when they are traveling up to double the speed limit, there isn’t enough time and a collision occurs.”

In the future traffic detail will conduct enforcement efforts similar to that on Avenue K near Elm. Plans for similar operations will be conducted throughout the city.