Fewer Red Light Runners But Lots of Speed Demons in Yakima

April is distracted driving month so along with extra patrols to find drivers distracted police in Yakima and Union Gap are also conducting speed patrols to slow drivers and prevent serious and fatal crashes.

RED LIGHT CRASHES ARE DOWN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS

For the first time in months Yakima Police say collisions caused by drivers not stopping for a red light are down by half. The average number of crashes is about 15 every week but during the week of March 26 through April 1 officers investigated 24 collisions but only 7 were the result of people not stopping for a red light.

IT'S A BIG CHANGE WHEN YOU LOOK AT PREVIOUS NUMBERS

During the week of March 19 through March 25 Officers investigated 30 collisions with 17 the result of a driver not stopping for a red light. Compare those numbers to the week before, March 12 through March 18. During that week Officers investigated 23 collisions, 16 the result of a driver not stopping for a red light.

SPECIAL PATROLS ARE COUPLED WITH SPEED PATROLS

Officers are busy also just conducting traffic patrols. March 26 through April 1 Officers made a total of 846 traffic stops during the week and issued 246 citations. 8 drivers were also arrested for driving impaired.
The patrols continue in Yakima and now in Union Gap where police say they're seeing a lot of people speeding on Ahtanum Rd, Main St, and Valley Mall Blvd.

LOTS OF YOUR FELLOW DRIVERS ARE ON THE PHONE

A new survey of over 2,000 licensed drivers confirms what most people already know, Americans use cell phones while driving. Nationwide distracted driving was responsible for 3,000 deaths in 2020, according to a Governors Highway Safety Association statement.
Drivers say they need to respond to family and friends or that they'll miss a call from kids.