Increased WSP Patrols On I-5 This Week

LAKEWOOD, WA - Responding to a number of so-called "high profile collisions" that have recently occurred in the construction zone around the SR-16/I-5 interchange, Washington State Patrol teams will increase trooper presence along both north and southbound Interstate-5, between State Route-512 at Lakewood to the King-Pierce county line near Fife, beginning Monday.

According to WSP Trooper Johnna Batiste, "Troopers and commercial vehicle enforcement officers will focus on speed, left lane violations, distracted driving, following too close, seatbelts, unsafe lane changes, and aggressive driving" during the period of enhanced safety patrol emphasis, which will continue through March 1.

"Anytime there is ongoing construction, drivers need to use extra caution and be more aware of their surroundings," WSP Capt. Thomas Foster said in a statement. "We are asking drivers to slow down, put their cellular phones down, and focus on their driving."

Foster, the commander of WSP's Commercial Vehicle Division, has assigned his Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) team to work in coordination with WSP's Aggressive Driver Apprehension Team and Aviation Section for the duration of the emphasis.

Batiste acknowledged the area of focus saw zero commercial vehicle fatalities in 2018, but said an increase in collisions within the construction zone has made the increase in patrols necessary.

According to a WSP-maintained blog, the WSP's Commercial Vehicle Enforcement team investigated 2,394 commercial vehicle collisions in 2018, though WSP officials did not specify how many of those specific incidents occurred on I-5 between SR-512 and the county line.

Regardless of where the crashes occurred, the number of commercial vehicle crash investigations in 2018 made up nearly 5 percent of the state's total crash investigations for the year; though the agency also noted a 46 percent decrease in commercial vehicle-related fatality collisions from the year before.

With roughly 15,000 commercial vehicles and 197,000 passenger vehicles traveling between Tacoma and Seattle every day, a high percentage decrease in traffic collisions is significant — but WSP officials know they can incentivize drivers in the area to do even better.

A big part of that effort for WSP involves education, Batiste said.

For example, Batiste reminded drivers who drive vehicles more than 10,000 pounds, or with trailers, that they are "prohibited from driving in the left lane when there are three or more lanes on limited access State Routes and Interstates."

Using tips, reminders, and in some cases citations, WSP officials hope to see even fewer collisions along the 12-mile stretch of highway in 2019.

WATCH: Washington State Patrol Capt. Thomas Foster discusses CMV safety

For more information as well as updates on Tacoma construction, visit wsdot.wa.gov/construction.

And click here for more information on commercial vehicle drivers’ safety.

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