Monday is the last day for National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and as it comes to an end, law enforcement agencies across the country are conducting Operation Ghost Rider.
More than fifty officers for police departments, sheriff's offices and Michigan State Police will participate in Operation Ghost Rider.
By 4 p.m. on Monday, MSP announced preliminary stats in the initiative.
There have been 250 traffic stops, 130 citations and eight arrests.
Some preliminary stats from the MSP side of Operation Ghost RIder:
250 Traffic Stops
130 Citations
8 Arrests.Official stats and local and county numbers to follow. Operation Ghost Rider to continue till Five PM. pic.twitter.com/dCZy403mmT
— MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) April 30, 2018
The plan uses unmarked spotter vehicles which contain a law enforcement passenger. When spotters observe a distracted driver, they radio a fully-marked unit to initiate a traffic stop.
Those agencies include: Auburn Hills police, Clinton Township police, Macomb County Sheriff's Office, Michigan State Police, Oakland County Sheriff's Office, Shelby Township police, Sterling Heights police and Utica police.
“Distracted drivers put themselves and everyone else on the road in extreme danger. That text, phone call, or any other behavior taking your focus off your driving, can and should wait,” said Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the Michigan State Police. “We hope this traffic enforcement initiative will help change dangerous driver behavior.”
During 18 hours of Operation Ghost Rider last year, they conducted more than 907 traffic stops with 726 citations and 34 arrests.
