Trucker-trooper program not in best interests
Published 12:00 am Friday, February 11, 2000
Come Monday anyone driving down Interstate 35 between Faribault and the Iowa border potentially could receive a ticket because of a trucker.
Friday, February 11, 2000
Come Monday anyone driving down Interstate 35 between Faribault and the Iowa border potentially could receive a ticket because of a trucker.
That’s right. In its infinite wisdom the Minnesota State Patrol will use 15-25 professional truck drivers as highway watchers.
The idea is these highway watchers will phone the patrol to report crashes, bad road conditions, aggressive driving, drunken driving, speeding, stranded motorists and debris on the road. The goal is to reduce accidents and improve the patrol’s response time.
Certainly the goals the patrol is trying to achieve are worthy of attention.
However, we have some real concerns with the patrol’s highway watcher plans.
According to the State Patrol, officers will stop vehicles on the basis of the truckers’ reports. The officers do not have to see the violation to make the stop. That’s where the problem lies.
Simply relying on any citizens, report is dangerous. Adding the feeling of empowerment these truckers may realize because of this plan and we see the potential for disaster.
Supposedly the truckers will have clean driving records and will be honest individuals, but that’s not enough when dealing with the public safety.
Troopers and officers go through hours of training to recognize the situations the patrol hopes truckers will help with. In addition, the troopers possess the proper equipment to measure speeds.
Sure the truckers spend many hours on the road and see many things, but they shouldn’t be put in the position of playing officer as well. It’s a bad idea.
In the end relying on citizens to do the job of the patrol is unwise and this pilot project should be junked before it is started.