North Reading Police Urge More Caution on Roads

From the North Reading Police Department:

In an ongoing effort to keep the community safe, Police Chief Michael P. Murphy is urging residents and visitors to North Reading to use caution while traveling on town roadways.

Recently, there has been a spike in reports of distracted driving and speeding cars in several areas of town, and police are launching a public awareness and enforcement campaign called “North Reading Roads For All.”

“Speeding, texting, and otherwise driving while distracted are not only illegal but dangerous to yourself and others,” Chief Murphy said. “North Reading roads are meant to be shared among vehicles, bicycles, walkers, runners, and more. A driver who takes a corner at a high rate of speed while sending a text message is a problem for everyone, and we need to get the word out.”

Residents and other drivers have been reporting problems in various parts of town, and it is not limited to any one road or intersection.

As a result, the North Reading Police Department will take a multifaceted approach, which includes a public awareness campaign and increased visibility of patrols in affected areas. Police will be aggressively enforcing the traffic laws.

Additionally, the North Reading Police Department will be consulting with other town departments, including the Department of Public Works, and outside vendors on other solutions, potentially including:

• Better, more visible signage

• Raised crosswalks

• Engineered traffic circles to slow down the flow of traffic in low-volume areas

• Speed bumps and speed humps

The Police Department’s School Resource Officer will also work with high school students, distributing literature and stressing road safety, when school re-opens in the fall.

The Department’s primary goal is to ensure safety in North Reading. Preventing drivers, walkers, joggers, and cyclists from being harmed on the roadways is part of that mission. Chief Murphy hopes that public education, matched with increased police visibility and enforcement, will help accomplish that mission.

Twitter users can tweet @NorthReadingPD and residents can also call North Reading Police Directly at 978-664-3131 to report any problems on the roadways.