Thinking About Traffic Officer Safety

There's a number of things making the news in central Texas crime stories this morning.

• Murdering minister found guilty in wife's death
• Cove woman indicted for running over boyfriend in Killeen
• Fort Hood solider on trial for Killeen murder

Thinking About Traffic Officer Safety
Killeen Police ran a special enforcement detail targeting drivers who fail to slow down or move over for stopped emergency vehicles.  A few years ago the state legislature passed a law requiring drivers approaching an emergency vehicle stopped on the side of the road with it's emergency lights activated to either exit the lane adjacent to the emergency vehicle or to slow to at least 20 Mph below the posted speed limit.

The Killeen Daily Herald ran a story on this detail. From the story:

"I've nearly been struck more times than I can remember," Petty said. "It's senseless because it can very well easily be avoided by slowing a vehicle down or changing lanes."

Killeen police ticketed 23 drivers during the three-hour detail on U.S. 190 Wednesday. Another nine drivers escaped because the three officers were writing tickets for other drivers.

According to the National Law Enforcement Memorial Fund's 2009 Officer Fatality Report, 12 officers died in 2009 after being struck outside their vehicle.