By Justin Creech
Staff Writer
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Speeding on the installation is still an issue according to the Department of Emergency Services.

Gunston, Belvoir and Pohick roads as well as 9th Street are the reported problem areas due to all four roads now having two lanes of traffic traveling in each direction.

Capt. Steve Galay, Patrol Division, Fort Belvoir Police Department said DES is doing what it can to limit the amount of speeders on post.

“We have radars and light-dars in 90 percent of our cars in the fleet at all times,” said Galay. “Any time my officers are not responding to a call for service they are conducting traffic enforcement. Those that are qualified and licensed to run speed enforcement with those devices are out there doing it.”

A speeding ticket is a pre-payable offense unless it was written for a reckless driving offense which is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The maximum penalty for a Class 1 misdemeanor is 12 months in jail, a $2,500 fine or both. Galay did say, however, that a reckless driving ticket issued involving speed alone very rarely results in any jail time unless there is an extensive driving history with the offender.

Though their main goal is not to write tickets, but gain compliance with the speed limits on post from drivers, Galay said speed violations are taken seriously as the result of some infractions can be serious.

“Speeding has been recognized as the single biggest contributor to traffic accidents which cause property damage and injuries,” said Galay. “Those results can cause loss time from work and as a result you get a reduced amount of productivity out of that person.”

Galay said the punishment for speeding is the same for anyone who drives on post; not just servicemembers. He also said repeated offenses, or a single offense that is deemed serious enough can potentially result in the loss of driving privileges on post for the offender.

“There is the potential for driving privileges to be suspended or revoked by the garrison commander based on driving violations,” said Galay. “It would probably be for someone who was convicted of reckless driving or has been arrested for DUI, or has been charged with reckless driving to a degree where it endangered life or property. Chief Wolfe would make the request based on an account of all the contributing factors to the offense.”

Galay said several tickets have been written for drivers who have failed to stop for a school bus as it was picking up or dropping off students on Belvoir road. He said drivers on post need to remember the rules for a stopped or approaching school bus as the penalty is an automatic reckless driving ticket.

“People have to stop for a school bus traveling in the opposite direction if there is not a median present in the road,” said Galay. “There are no medians on Belvoir road and its two lanes in each direction with turn lanes. All vehicles traveling towards the school bus have to stop while the bus is loading and unloading children.”