In The News

Reno cops use big rig to nab traffic law violators

RENO, Nev. — That inconspicuous white 18-wheeler rumbling down the freeway could be bad news for bad drivers.

Inside might be a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper looking for speeding, unsafe lane changes, tailgating or other aggressive or illegal driving.

The NHP and the Nevada Department of Transportation on Thursday unveiled the Nevada Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks program, the sixth state with the program.

Transportation officials removed the identifying decals from one of its dozen big rigs that hauls supplies and mounted an evidence-grade video recorder in the cab.

With an NDOT driver and an NHP trooper in the passenger's seat, the rig will cruise freeways around Reno looking for bad drivers, especially those who tailgate big trucks or make illegal lane changes in front of trucks.

Big trucks, especially when they're carrying loads, need more room to stop than passenger vehicles.

Sgt. Brad Smith said drivers must respect the "no zones" around trucks, or the spots behind, in front and to the rear left of tractor-trailer rigs where the driver can't see the vehicles. Unsafe lane changes and tailgating become larger problems in these "no zones," Smith said.

The trooper in the truck who sees violations will summon another NHP vehicle, either marked or unmarked, to make a stop. The NHP warned this is a zero-tolerance campaign. No warnings, only tickets will be issued.

The program has a fan in Matthew McGill of Sparks, who said he'd like to be the person doing the enforcement in the truck.

"I get so frustrated driving down the freeway with people on your tail or cutting people off," McGill said.

The worst place seems to be around the Interstate 80-U.S. 395 interchange and along Interstate 80 past John Ascuaga's Nugget, he said.

"There's just a lot of road rage," McGill said. "Unnecessary speeding. People changing lanes without signaling and without thinking about it. Especially big trucks cutting off smaller vehicles."

Brian Wilk of Reno also likes the idea. But he's noticed that commuters have picked up on the other unmarked vehicles used by the NHP to patrol the roads.

"It's going to work for a while, and then, they're going to have to change up their routine," Wilk said. "Unmarked doesn't mean invisible. It's not difficult to identify unmarked vehicles with the NHP, especially going through Washoe Valley."

Still, Wilk said the unmarked NHP vehicles catch plenty of bad drivers.

"I've seen motorists go speeding down the road, and they don't realize they're being followed by the unmarked (vehicle), and the next thing you know, they're getting their ticket," Wilk said.