PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
In recent years, Minnesota has experienced a significant increase in the number of traffic incidents involving aggressive driving. During 1998, 650 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes statewide; 152 of these fatalities were the result of speeding. Aggressive driving incidents such as these increase traffic congestion and travel times. Although the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) has mounted stationary video cameras throughout the metropolitan freeway system, the coverage is not always sufficient to provide optimal emergency response and electronic warning sign messages to motorists. In response, the Minnesota State Patrol (MSP) developed an innovative aerial program designed to apprehend aggressive drivers and provide live video to the Mn/DOT Traffic Management Center.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The MSP Aerial Aggressive Driving Enforcement Program was developed in 1999 to help prevent motor vehicle crashes resulting from aggressive driving behavior, using targeted enforcement, heightened public awareness, and congestion management. The objectives of the program are to:

• Improve public awareness of the increased risk of apprehension for this type of driving behavior
• Increase the ability of the Minnesota State Patrol to detect and apprehend motorists who drive aggressively, and document the violations with video for courtroom use
• Relay real-time congestion video images to the Mn/DOT Traffic Management Center
• Determine the precise location and nature of traffic incidents as they occur, to minimize the impact of reduced capacity traffic flow on metropolitan freeways

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
To assist them in identifying aggressive driving behavior throughout the state, the MSP mounted a gyroscopically-stabilized dual sensor infrared camera on a State Patrol Helicopter. Aircrews use the camera to locate aggressive driving incidents and relay violation information to troopers stationed in ground units. Violations are recorded using a high resolution video camera during daytime flights, and a thermal imaging unit to provide nighttime observation capabilities. A mobile video receiver is available for portable installation in an intercepting MSP patrol car. These video images can also be transmitted live through a microwave downlink to the Mn/DOT Traffic Management Center, to provide support in traffic incident and congestion management.

RESULTS
Although the MSP Aerial Aggressive Driving Enforcement Program has been in operation for less than a year, data indicates that the infrared camera system has proven to be a highly effective tool in reducing aggressive driving behavior in Minnesota. The program provides troopers on the ground with the ability to observe violations simultaneously with flight crews. This enables troopers to fully describe the violation(s) to the motorist, and allows an instant replay of the video to the driver. The tapes also provide convincing evidence of aggressive driving for courtroom presentation, and furnish video footage for use with the news media, and in public awareness presentations. In addition, the downlink to the Traffic Management Center enables Mn/DOT to mitigate traffic congestion, thereby preventing additional incidents of aggressive driving.

During the first 10 weeks of program operation, more than 100 citations were issued as a result of aggressive driving incidents identified by troopers in the State Patrol Helicopter. After viewing the video evidence, none of the violators has contested the citations. Tapes of aggressive driving violations have been aired extensively by local television stations. These news stories have heightened public awareness of the increased enforcement provided by the program, and helped to educate the public about which types of driving behavior are considered aggressive.

At present, the program operates only during daylight hours. Planning is currently underway to expand the operation to include:

• Nighttime patrols, including impaired driving enforcement
• Use of the video/imaging equipment on MSP fixed-wing aircraft
• Conducting commercial vehicle enforcement saturation patrols

FALL 2000