Fond du Lac County Law Enforcement Add Tool To Combat Speeding

The Fond du Lac County law enforcement community has received two new radar trailers with the assistance of the Bureau of Transportation Safety.

The Bureau provides traffic safety grants to organizations like local police departments that provide services that minimize the number of traffic fatalities and injuries.

On Wednesday, September 14, 2022, the two new radar trailers were debuted in the county.

Radar trailers are placed on the side of the road where speeding is known to be a problem and with the use of onboard radar, will display to vehicles their speed as they approach the unit. If they are going at or under the speed limit, the speed is just displayed as a steady number. If they are exceeding the speed limit, the number will flash and red and blue led lights, simulating police cruiser lights, will flash.

They also track the amount of cars passing the trailer as well as record the speeds and the time of day those speeds occur allowing law enforcement to understand where and when the reckless driving problems are taking place.

Michael Schwendau of the Bureau of Transportation Safety says in time, the trailers actually slow down traffic in a given area. Using the trailers on board data collecting computer, they see that the average speed will lower after just a couple weeks of the trailer being in a location.

Schwendau says the trailer reminds drivers they are speeding and re-enforces what the speed limit is, causing them to speed less.

The trailers will be used by the Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office, City of Fond du Lac Police Department, as well as the Wisconsin State Patrol.