Flomaton cracking down on speeding vehicles

Chief Thompson says almost 90 percent exceeding the speed limit

Flomaton Police Chief Chance Thompson said the biggest complaint he receives is about speeding through the town and his department is stepping up its enforcement.

"We get more complaints about speeding than anything else," Thompson said. "So we are trying to address the problem aggressively."

Using a laser speed detector armed with a camera, Flomaton police stopped 23 vehicles in two and a half hours Thursday, Feb. 17, on Highway 29 as vehicles came across the overpass from Century in the 35 mph zone.

Thompson said on Saturday, Feb. 19, police conducted a speed survey at the same location near the state line on Highway 29. During the day, Thompson said 4,013 vehicles passed and 3,599 were driving above the 35 mph limit or 89.7 percent of the driver's were speeding.

Of the 4,013 vehicles checked Thompson said 883 vehicles were at least 10 mph above the speed limit.

He also noted the highest traffic count coming from Century to Flomaton was from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

"We're not setting up any speed traps," Thompson said. "We simply want people to slow down. Safety is the number one issue."

Thompson said the laser speed detector is being used at various locations around Flomaton that include Highway 113 where motorists coming into Flomaton see the speed limit drops from 65 mph to 55 mph and then to 45 mph.

Thompson said he stopped vehicle recently on Highway 113 doing 104 mph in the 45 mph speed zone.

School buses

Thompson also said he has received several complaints about vehicles passing stopped school buses in and around Flomaton and said there would be a zero tolerance for that offense.

In addition to patrolling where school buses travel, Thompson said he is also placing officers in school buses who can radio to a patrol officer if they see someone pass a stopped school bus.

"We'll rotate officers in and out of various school buses in the mornings and afternoon," Thompson said. "Passing a stopped school bus while children are either loading or unloading is very dangerous and we take this problem seriously."

 
 
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