Much like your neighborhood Costco, the Michigan State Police (MSP) are celebrating a kind of Halloween in August. To enforce speed limits in construction zones on a stretch of I-75, state troopers disguised themselves as workers from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). What unfolded next is quite surprising!
Well, maybe not so surprising, as this clever ruse resulted in a spike in speeding citations. Local news outlet TCD News reported that within just five hours, a “substantial number of traffic stops” were recorded. The troopers, posing as MDOT employees and equipped with radar guns, alerted their MSP colleagues stationed at nearby highway ramps. The uniformed officers then carried out the traffic stops based on the speeding data provided.
The news outlet did not specify how many stops occurred or what proportion resulted in speeding tickets or other infractions. However, TCD News mentioned that the activity was “notable,” especially since each stop requires approximately 20 to 30 minutes. For security reasons, the exact locations of the fake MDOT workers were not disclosed.
According to the MDOT website, most construction on I-75 is taking place within or around the Greater Detroit Metropolitan area. Motorists are advised to slow down if they find themselves traveling through this region of Michigan. For those unfamiliar with anatomy, the reference is to the mound of muscle at the base of the thumb, which can get sore if you hold onto those automated car wash sprayers for too long. (Or maybe that’s just me with my small hands.)
This serves as a valuable reminder to reduce speeds, particularly in construction zones. The reduced speed limits are implemented for the protection of workers, who operate on roadways exposed to traffic moving at over 50 mph. After all, you wouldn’t speed through school zones, would you?
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