On a bright afternoon last week, Aurora police Sgt. Bill Revelle peered down at two cars speeding under the Peña Boulevard flyover at Interstate 70.
At 71 mph, the second car was just 30 feet behind the first car. That’s less than a second between the vehicles, nowhere close to enough time to stop safely before slamming into the back of the lead car.
“At that distance, if that car hit its brakes, you have already rear-ended it before you can react,” Revelle said as one of the motorcycle officers on the highway below pulled the driver over and cited them for following too closely and speeding.
Aurora police recently purchased new software for their radar guns that allows them to not only tell if a driver is speeding, but also exactly how close a vehicle is to the vehicle they are following, both in time and distance.
Previously, officers relied on their own visual estimates to determine if a motorist was following too closely. Now, Revelle said, the department has technology that can help officers crack down on a leading cause of accidents, particularly the highway crashes that lead to the most serious injuries.
“At these speeds you have so much less reaction time and the accidents can be so much worse,” he said.
Revelle said the software upgrade costs about $900 per gun and the department has it installed on just one gun. Depending in part on how the first round of tickets fare in court, Revelle said the department might add more in the future.
For now, the Motorcycle Enforcement Team is using the technology primarily at areas like the Peña flyover because the elevated road lets them spot both cars. But, Revelle said, officers will likely focus on other areas in the future.
While following too closely is dangerous, Revelle said he understands that if drivers leave the appropriate two seconds between them and the vehicle in front of them, another motorist will likely slide into that gap.
“The problem is, if you are safe when you are doing that, someone else is going to fit into that spot so you are constantly going to be slowing down,” he said.
Still, even if it means slowing down each time another vehicle takes that space, Revelle said it’s worth it. “You are only adding a minute or two to your commute,” he said. A ticket for following too closely can be pricey, too.
Zelda DeBoyes, administrator at Aurora Municipal Court, said judges have some discretion, but generally a first offense results in a $115 fine. Subsequent offenses can cost as much as $185, and that doesn’t include court costs and other fees.
Last year, police issued 705 citations for following too closely. Sgt. Cassidee Carlson, a spokeswoman for the department, said that was up from 659 in 2010. That’s a 7-percent increase from year to year, but Revelle said with the new software, police are anticipating an even bigger jump this year.
On that bright afternoon last week, Revelle and officers from the department’s Motorcycle Enforcement Team nabbed five people for the violation in a half hour. Previous operations netted 17 citations in 40 minutes and 45 in 90 minutes, he said.
Reach reporter Brandon Johansson at 720-449-9040 or bjohansson@aurorasentinel.com