Eyes in the Sky: WSP Targeting Aggressive Drivers Around Big Rigs

The Washington State Patrol is using its police cruisers and airplanes to spot aggressive drivers around commercial trucks in King County this week, part of an ongoing campaign called TACT -- Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks.

Troopers in airplanes will be flying the skies over King County highways, radioing troopers on the ground when they spot aggressive drivers near trucks, the State Patrol announced Monday.

During the last such emphasis patrol in March, troopers netted 741 traffic violators and issued 670 tickets for aggressive driving around trucks. They also inspected 41 commercial vehicles and took six of them out of service for various issues.

In a press release, the State Patrol said that most collisions involving trucks occur on interstate freeways and state routes. This patrol will focus on Interstate 5 from Seattle to Federal Way, Interstate 90 from Seattle to North Bend, Interstate 405 from Bellevue to Tukwila, State Route 167 from State Route 18 to I-405, and State Route 18. It will operate from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., the times when most collisions occur.

The TACT campaign began in September 2012 and will last through this month. It is paid for by a grant from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, part of a program approved by Congress in 2004 to educate drivers on how to share the roadway with commercial vehicles.

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Information from a Washington State Patrol news release.