By B. PARKER JONE
The Provo and Orem City Police Departments hope to curb speeding violations within their cities by placing speed trailers along frequently traveled streets.
The trailers use an internal radar to monitor the speed of oncoming traffic. Motorists will see the posted speed limit and their car’s speed on the trailers’ highly visible screens.
“The trailer is used just to make the public aware of their speed,” said Lt. Rex Skinner of the Orem Police Department.
Since 1988 some states have used a “photo cop” type trailer, which has the capability to monitor traffic speed and issue speeding tickets, to discourage speeding. A speeding motorist’s car and license number is photographed and registered with area police. Speeding citations are then sent to speed limit violators.
Although speed trailers used by area police do not have photo cop capabilities, authorities are optimistic about their effectiveness.
“A lot of people think they are radars like photo cop but they’re not,” said Officer Ken Berkey of the Provo Police. “However, they work very well as a warning device.”
“I have seen people hit their brakes because of the trailer, people do slow down,” said Skinner.
Police often place officers in position to cite motorists who ignore speed trailers.
“If the trailer does not slow them down, we won’t be slow to give citations,” said Berkey.
Speed trailers are often placed close to BYU on 800 North and 700 North to slow traffic, but some drivers seem to ignore them.
“If people know they won’t get a ticket, they won’t care,” said David Kennedy, a sophomore from Laguna Niguel, Calif., majoring in international relations
