Lewis: Dover councilman struggles to apply brakes on speeding

I was always a firm believer that the 'rules of the road' must put the onus of care back onto the people who are most endangering to others.”

Dover City Councilman Brian E. Lewis represents the 2nd District. He also is chair of the Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee.

In virtually every neighborhood in the city of Dover, speeding is one of the most common and challenging complaints from residents.

Back in March 2023, when I was out campaigning for the 2nd District council seat, I asked many voters the question, “What is your No. 1 concern in the neighborhood where you reside?” I was surprised to find out it was motorists disregarding the posted speed limit and speeding through the roadways.

Soon after assuming the duties of a councilman in May, it became a common practice for me to get a call from a constituent about speeding issues, a least once a week. These same constituents are particularly worried about speeding drivers who often must negotiate a myriad of obstacles — from children playing, neighborhood pets, joggers, cyclists, trash containers, parked vehicles and the potential hardship of a family member who might be killed due to a motorist’s negligence. Their request for help comes with personal observations of drivers not stopping for stop signs and drivers traveling well above the posted 25-mph speed limit.

We see speeders every day, passing us on our city streets, county roads and state highways at 20-30 mph over the posted speed limit. Many of us wonder why they are in such a hurry. What could be so important that they risk endangering their lives and the lives of others? I ask.

Over the years, there have been so many horrible crashes (not accidents) that have occurred in Dover because drivers ignore the basic speed limit. In reviewing the crash trends for 2022-23, the No. 1 cause of fatalities on our streets and highways was speed and aggressive driving, followed by impaired driving and failure to use restraints.

As I attempt to find solutions to assist my constituents, I wanted to share my concerns and frustrations, as well as the obstacles I have encountered.

For one, many enforcement campaigns yield limited results because police departments like the Dover Police Department cannot patrol every single street and roadway 24/7 due to staffing issues. In addition, our police chief recently informed me that the Motorcycle Unit — whose primary function is enforcing traffic laws and conducting mainly stationary patrols that use the latest laser technology for speed detection and enforcement — has been temporarily pulled from those duties to assist other units in the department. Again, this is related to staffing issues.

Another obstacle is the installation of speed bumps in the neighborhoods. While a useful method to reduce speeders nationwide, they are disapproved in the inner city limits of Dover by first responders because it delays their response time to fire calls and other emergencies that may involve medical situations. It was brought to my attention by responders that, when an ambulance is transporting a patient with neurological or spinal injuries and drives over the speed bump, it could cause further damage to the injury.

At a recent city Safety Advisory and Transportation Committee meeting, two of my colleagues on City Council proposed that the city look into installing speed cameras in our neighborhoods to discourage speeders. Our state legislature passed House Bill 94 in June of last year, which creates a five-year trial run of a system that would allow cameras if excessive speed is proven inside work zones or residential areas.

The residential area cameras would first require a Department of Transportation study to show the 85th percentile speed was at least 5 miles per hour over the posted speed limit, according to the bill.

Once installed, similar to the ones placed on Interstate 95 in Wilmington during the “Restore the Corridor” project, the threshold for a civil ticket would be placed at 11 mph over the limit and be issued to the owner of the vehicle.

But some residents and local leaders have already voiced concerns about how the speed cameras, if approved in the inner city limits of Dover, will affect the people, citing, 1. Hardship to vehicle owners, who live paycheck to paycheck. 2. The owner of the vehicle is the one who would be ticketed for speeding because the system tracks by license number, not the driver of the car (technically, you are accusing the vehicle of speeding because there is no identity to the driver). 3. If the civil ticket is unpaid, the vehicle owner’s registration or license will be revoked. 4. The cost of the camera equipment and maintenance using taxpayer dollars. 5. It’s not about public safety but about generating revenue.

I was always a firm believer that the “rules of the road” must put the onus of care back onto the people who are most endangering to others.

As I move forward with this endeavor, I look forward to collaborating with city staff and other stakeholders to find a sustainable solution. I do not think we need another study or survey to tell us that cars need to slow down on our residential streets. However, I do think it is time we give our constituents the attention they deserve with respect to this ongoing problem and take a proactive stance. Our elected leaders like myself should always be looking for ways to improve our constituents’ safety and concerns.

Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.