Traffic Safety Unit rolls out to educate, enforce

Last September, the NC State University Police Department created the Traffic Safety Unit, part of the Support Services Division, to increase the safety of motorists, including bicyclists and people on electric scooters, and to better enforce traffic laws.

Major Ian Kendrick, the support services commander, spoke about the new unit and its general duties.

“As the name suggests, they’re primarily going to be focused on traffic safety,” Kendrick said. “A big component of that is going to be education. Throughout the year, they’re going to be doing various educational programming. They’re there to educate about proper operation and enlighten people about the laws that govern motor vehicles, bicycles, scooters and even pedestrians.”

In addition to education, the unit is also responsible for enforcing traffic laws.

“Let’s say we get a complaint that comes in about speeding somewhere on campus; they may be out there doing speed enforcement,” Kendrick said. “The laws do exist. They are there to help guide people with safe operation of vehicles, whether it’s a motor vehicle, a bicycle, a moped, a motor scooter. Whatever it is, it’s designed to guide them on safe operation when they’re out on the roads.”

According to Kendrick, there were 10 reported collisions involving bicycles and mopeds in 2017. So far in 2018, there have been 10 reported incidents involving bicycles and electric scooters, as well as one involving a skateboard and one involving a moped, totaling 12. In addition to those reported incidents, the Student Health Center is currently analyzing data about injuries related to bikes and scooters.

The unit started operation at the first football game on Sept. 1, but has only been out and about on campus for approximately a month, according to Kendrick. When on duty, the unit is responsible for responding to traffic accidents on campus.

NCSU Transportation Communications Manager Yolanda Jones said that transportation and the police department do have regular meetings and consistent communication, but that they have not yet communicated directly with the Traffic Safety Unit.

“We are enforcing parking,” Jones said. “As far as the traffic goes, that is all handled on the police side … We really would have no interaction with this new program.”

The unit consists of two officers, two motorcycles and two cruisers. Money was allocated to purchase the two Suzuki dual-sport motorcycles. The department also has to pay for some of the equipment used to outfit the motorcycles.

“We’re getting a bulk of the equipment for these bikes … through points that we have in the Governor’s Highway Safety Program,” Kendrick said. “We accumulate those points by participating in a variety of events throughout the year, and each event we participate in, depending on the type and duration, we get a certain number of points, and those points can be turned in at the end of the year for equipment.”

More information about the police department and the services they provide can be found at its website.