TRAFFIC SAFETY INFORMATION
TRAFFIC SAFETY IS ONE METHOD that the Garner Police Department uses for reducing the risk of being killed or seriously injured on our roads . The traffic safety team aggressively enforces the motor vehicle laws , provides citizen education , and seeks voluntary compliance to improve the safety of the motoring public . The Garner Police Department participates in numerous local and regional traffic safety checkpoints throughout our community supporting the Wake County Traffic Safety Task Force . The traffic safety program is focused on addressing all safety violations related to the operation of a motor vehicle . Not all traffic stops will end with a citation ; in fact , only 28 % of the department ’ s 6,866 traffic stops in 2021 resulted in the driver being issued a citation . An additional 37 % of stops resulted in a verbal warning or no action taken , and 35 % of stops resulted in a written warning . Only . 5 % of all traffic stops resulted in custodial arrest . Traffic stops were down 31 % in 2020 largely due to the COVID pandemic .
The traffic safety program is heavily involved in educating the community . The department partners with Garner Magnet High School in an anti-texting campaign , Click it or Ticket , and through participation in the Public Safety Academy . Fatal Vision Goggles combined with the DWI golf cart allows for simulated intoxicated driving scenarios for students at the high school as well . Child seat installations and inspections occur periodically with an appointment based system . The appointment based system allows our officers to give a parent dedicated time to ensure that the child seat is correctly installed .
The Garner Police Department remains committed to the pursuit of traffic safety by partnering with
Traffic Stops ( 3-Year Trend )
the Governor ’ s Highway Safety Program ( GHSP ). GHSP ’ s main focus is to reduce alcohol related crashes , gain seat belt compliance , promote motorycle safety , and conduct speed enforcement through various campaigns such as “ Booze it and Lose it ”, “ Click it or Ticket ”, and “ BikeSafe ” to help raise awareness .
Traffic Crash Data
The Garner Police Department investigated 1,560 property damage only ( PDO ) and personal injury ( PI ) traffic crashes in 2021 , up from 1,402 in 2020 ( see chart on next page ). Of those crashes , 286 reported personal injury , an increase from the 232 reporting injury in 2020 . Three fatal crashes occurred in 2021 , the same as in 2020 . The chart on the next page shows the traffic crash history for the past three years with a current average of 1,527 . Crashes in 2021 were approximately 2 % above the three-year average .
GARNER POLICE DEPARTMENT 2021 ANNUAL REPORT 13