Drivers who got pulled over for speeding last month in Shoshoni were traveling an average of 48 mph, police chief Chris Konija reported this week.
That’s 18 miles above the speed limit.
In March, he said, the average speeding ticket was for 14 mph over the limit.
“So despite what you hear, 3 mph (over the limit) doesn’t cause a traffic stop,” Konija told the Shoshoni Town Council during a regular meeting Tuesday. “But if you’re doing 48 in a 30, you’re probably going to get a citation. I don’t know what else to say.”
Public safety
Konija reiterated that 48 mph was only the average speed recorded during last month’s traffic stops.
Some people go as fast at 60 mph through town, Konija said, and that definitely qualifies as a public safety hazard – especially on days like today, when a local student group volunteered to pick up trash along the highway in town.
There are plenty of signs informing motorists about the 30 mph speed limit, Konija added.
“It’s well-known,” he said. “And yet it still happens.”
He encouraged residents to continue using the new TextMyGov service to communicate any suspicious activity to the police department – including speeding.
Some people have been using the tool to tell police exactly when and where motorists are speeding in town, Konija explained.
“It’s been really effective with the traffic complaints (on) specific roads,” he said. “We’re getting a little bit better precision on where we need to be at certain times on some of the streets, especially going to the high school. … We’re trying to target those with that information that we’re getting from that text app, so that has been benficial.”
To opt in to the program, text “Shoshoni” to 91896.
Statistics
Shoshoni issued 141 traffic citations in April, according to Konija’s monthly report to the council.
Local police also responded to five drunken driving reports, four traffic complaints, three harassment reports, and three reports of possession of a controlled substance.
There were two calls each regarding medical assistance, agency assistance, animal problems, and disorderly conduct, and one welfare check.
Five people were arrested on warrants, Konija said, but there were no drunken driving arrests, and Shoshoni is “starting to have a decrease in juvenile problems for the second month in a row, so that’s a good thing.”
For more information call 876-2515 or visit the town website.