Author Archives: End Distracted Driving in Texas

Child Passenger Safety Clinc

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The National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that roughly three out of four child safety seats are not used correctly.

Find a FREE safety seat check in your area

Year round, by appointment the Texas Department of Transportation offers free safety seat check-ups in each of the 25 district offices. To make an appointment to get your car seat inspected, please call the Texas Department of Transportation’s Traffic Safety Specialist for your district.

Parents get expert advice on child safety seats

Jase Herring assisting in Brownwood, Texas at TxDOT’s Child Safety Seat and Booster Seat Check-up Event

Date and Time Location of Check
February 2016 – Call for appointment Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, TX
March 2016 – Call for appointment Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, TX
April 2016 – Call for appointment Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, TX
May 2016 – Call for appointment Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, TX
June 2016 – Call for appointment Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, TX
July 2016 – Call for appointment Texas Department of Transportation, Austin, TX

 Useful Links

 Get a FREE child safety seat check. Text “seat” + your zip code to 876526 to find the nearest specialist.

Message and data rates may apply.  Please see Save Me With a Seat for more terms and conditions.

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To locate the TxDOT District and contact information in  your area, please contact:

Emma Mendoza

emma.mendoza@buckleuptexas.com

512-454-8900

TxDOT’s Amarillo District Safety Banquet

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May 21, 2015 Mr. Garry Parker, LEL presented the Distracted Driving presentation to over 300 TxDOT employees at the Amarillo District Safety Banquet.  Below are just a few of the comments we received, “We greatly enjoyed your presentation and the message, thank you for sharing it with us!”, “That was a wonderful presentation yesterday. Thank you so much!”, “Very good presentation and speaking. Very good video.”, “Fantastic program.” A very special thank you to Tracy Tellman Traffic Safety Specialist Abilene District for allowing us to participate.  It is always a pleasure to partner with the Texas Department of Transportation.

 

Fraud Prevention and Detection in STEP Grants

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Police Traffic Services Program Manager Larry Krantz of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Floyd Sherman of the USDOT’s Office of Inspector General discuss ways to prevent and detect fraud in Select Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) grants in this very informative video.

According to the Office of Inspector General they maintain “. . a Hotline for receiving allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, or mismanagement in U. S. Department of Transportation (DOT) programs or operations. Allegations may be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week by DOT employees, contractors, or the general public.” For more information please visit U. S. DOT/OIG website.

To file a complaint with the U. S. DOT/OIG Hotline:  Call: 1.800.424.9071 Email: Hotline@oig.dot.gov or Write: U. S. DOT/OIG P.O. Box 23178 Washington, DC 20026-0178

Cop poses as homeless man to catch texting drivers

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Panhandler or police officer?

Cops in Maryland disguised an officer as a homel2015.10.27FOXNewsess man on Tuesday as part of a sting operation to nail motorists who were texting while driving, FOX5DC reported.

During the operation, an officer, dressed in jeans, sunglasses and a hoodie stood by the side of the road holding up a cardboard sign with some writing on it. Most didn’t inspect the writing too closely. Those who did would have noticed this message: “I am not homeless. I am a Montgomery County Police Officer looking for cell phone texting violations.”

If the disguised officer spotted someone texting, he’d radio to a uniformed officer nearby to pull that car over.

“Ultimately, the law is a hands free device, so it can’t even be in your hand,” Officer Brian Nave told WUSA9.

One driver who was caught, gave the cops credit for their ingenuity.

 “It’s smart,” the unidentified person told WUSA9. “It’s really dangerous. I’m not disagreeing.”

During the two-hour sting, police issued 56 traffic citations and 22 warnings for a range of infractions, according to WTOP. A texting ticket cost offenders $70 and a ticket for talking on the phone while driving is an $83 hit.

“If you’re using your thumbs texting while driving down the road, it’s totally distracting because you have to look down to see what you’re typing,” Sgt. Phillip Chapin told WTOP. “When you have your phone to your ear you’re distracted because you only have one hand on the wheel, and it’s hard to react.”

Source:  FoxNews.com

Published: October 27, 2015

2015 TCOLE Conference

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The Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA) is a proud 2015 vendor at the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) annual conference.  This year the conference was held October 19 to October 22, 2015 at the Omni Bayfront Hotel in Corpus Christi where over 745 law enforcement officers attended.  The annual conference is a great opportunity to participate in continuing education classes, peer networking opportunities, and gain exposure to key law enforcement industry providers and vendors.TCOLE Conference

TMPA partners with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to bring much needed support to Texas law enforcement agencies by way of the Law Enforcement Liaison (LEL) grant program.  Pictured here (from left to right) Stephanie Christina, TxDOT Traffic Safety Specialist for the Corpus Christi District, Wally Smith, Volunteer, and Ken Smith, LEL Project Manager all working the traffic safety table as one of the exhibitors of the conference.