Fall River Police Department looking to crack down on speeding after traffic study, neighborhood complaints

In response to citizen concerns regarding speeding on Indian Town Road, the Fall River Police Department recently conducted a traffic study to better understand vehicle speeds and determine where enforcement efforts should be focused.

According to the department, here’s what the data showed:

• 4,140 northbound vehicles were recorded during the analysis period.

• Approximately 84% of vehicles were traveling 35 MPH or less in the posted 25 MPH zone.

• 615 vehicles were recorded traveling 10 MPH or more above the speed limit, which is the threshold we use for a traffic stop and potential citation.

• 32 vehicles were recorded traveling **20 MPH or more above the posted speed limit.

• The highest concentration of vehicles traveling 10 MPH or more above the speed limit occurred between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM.

Unlike some of our other traffic studies, the data here shows an area where additional enforcement is appropriate.

The Environmental Police Unit and Motor Vehicle Enforcement Unit, who are assigned LiDAR speed-measuring equipment, have been directed to conduct speed enforcement on Indian Town Road.

FRPD states that their goal isn’t to surprise motorists or write as many tickets as possible, it is to get people to slow down.

“Indian Town Road is simply not a roadway where anyone should be traveling 45 MPH or faster. If announcing increased enforcement gets drivers to take their foot off the gas, then the announcement has already accomplished part of its purpose.”

Indian Town Road is also equipped with digital driver-feedback speed signs. While these signs provide motorists with an immediate display of their speed, they do not collect or record traffic data, which is why separate equipment was deployed to conduct this study.

Traffic studies like this allow FRPD to move beyond anecdotal complaints and use actual data to determine whether a problem exists, when it is occurring, and where our enforcement resources can have the greatest impact.