Police departments in King County, including Kirkland, will inundate area roads, highways, and interstates with extra police patrols targeting speeding drivers through Aug. 1 as part of the statewide “Slow down or pay up” campaign. The campaign’s goal is to eliminate deaths and serious injuries from traffic crashes in Washington by the year 2030.

“Speeding may seem like a quick and effective shortcut, but in fact it is a leading cause of traffic deaths and injuries in King County and Washington State,” said Dr. David Fleming, director and health officer for Public Health – Seattle & King County. “Speed-related crashes harm individuals, families, and communities, and many people hurt in these crashes suffer life altering trauma and never recover fully.”

The emphasis patrols are a key component of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan: Target Zero. The vision of Target Zero is zero deaths and serious injuries from traffic crashes in Washington by the year 2030. The Washington Traffic Safety Commission funds the extra patrols.