Putting the Brakes on Speeding Around Maricopa Streets

You may have noticed speed radar trailers are set up around Maricopa. They are part of the Maricopa Police Department’s plans to reduce speeds on some of the busiest roads around the city - like Smith Enke Road near Porter or East on Bowlin Road south of White and Parker. The trailer displays a driver’s speed flashing red and blue if they need to slow down as they pass. 

“These a just another tool that the Maricopa Police Department is utilizing to keep our streets safe and lessen the chance of accidents,” says Sergeant Hal Koozer, who leads the department’s Traffic Unit. “The goal is for them to calm traffic and in most cases, people do slow down.”

Currently, MPD operates nearly a dozen radar trailers. They are deployed around various areas for three to five days at a time. If MPD identifies a new area frequented by speeders, these devices can be redeployed as needed with little effort.

The trailers are not equipped with cameras, but they record data on the speed of cars traveling past them. 

“We are a data-driven police department, so we are able to collect data on areas we are seeing high levels of speed violations and place these trailers accordingly,” Sgt. Koozer says. “We encourage community members to let us know about problem areas, so we can target that area and keep the residents and especially kids playing and living in those areas safe.”

A study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration showed the placement of dynamic speed monitoring displays like a speed radar trailer decreased the average speed in an area by seven miles per hour. That change in speed can mean the difference between life and death as DOT reports speed is the largest contributing factor in traffic fatalities.

“We want people to take control of their actions while operating a vehicle. They have a responsibility to follow the law, and that includes following the speed limit,” Sgt. Koozer says. “Often, these signs remind drivers to check their speedometer, and slow down.”