Enhanced traffic patrols planned for "cruising" weekend

The Yamhill County Multi-Agency Traffic Team will conduct enhanced traffic safety enforcement patrols the afternoon and evening hours of Friday and Saturday, Aug. 24 and 25.

These dates coincide with the Cruising McMinnville event scheduled for that Saturday, and the anticipated vehicle and pedestrian traffic associated with an event of this nature.

MATT members will focus on the dangerous driving activities that lead to serious injury and fatal crashes, as well as those that increase the severity of occupant injury during a crash - failure to use seat belts/child safety restraints for example.

Enforcement of dangerous traffic violations committed by pedestrians will also be a focus of this event.

According to 2016 data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration:

* Distracted driving-related deaths (3,450 fatalities) decreased by 2.2 percent.

*  Drunk driving deaths (10,497 fatalities) increased by 1.7 percent.

* Speeding-related deaths (10,111 fatalities) increased by 4.0 percent.

* Failure to use seat belt deaths (10,428 fatalities) increased by 4.6 percent.

* Motorcyclist deaths (5,286 fatalities – the largest number since 2008) increased by 5.1 percent.

* Pedestrian deaths (5,987 fatalities – the largest number since 1990) increased by 9.0 percent