When Davidson police set up a roadblock at Concord Road and Woodland Street last Saturday morning, Feb. 2, some drivers wondered what was going on. Was there trouble? Were police looking for someone or something? The answer is far less intriguing than the speculation.

The roadblock from 10 to 11:30 a.m. last Saturday was one in an occasional series of spot checks Davidson police carry out as they help enforce state driving and auto registration laws, chief Jeanne Miller said.

Chief Miller did not know how many violations were found in last weekend’s check. But the department’s weekly statistical report showed five drivers were cited Saturday on Concord Road for violations that included driving without a license, expired inspection stickers, or driving an unregistered vehicle.

OCCASIONAL CHECKS

From time to time, usually a weekend day or at some other slow time during the week, Davidson police in marked cars, with lights flashing, will stop cars and check driver’s licenses, auto registrations, inspection certificates and seat-belt use, Chief Miller said.

“The primary purpose of the operation is to enforce the driver’s license, vehicle registration and inspection and seat-belt laws for the state,” Chief Miller said. “It’s occasional. It can be on a weekend. A lot of times it’ll be during a slow period of time when officers have some down time.”

She said guidelines call for the checks to be carried out during daylight hours on a street where there’s room to pull cars over. “They have to agree ahead of time what they’re going to do, how many cars they’re going to stop. Are they going to stop every vehicle, are they going to stop every third vehicle,” she said.

“They try to do it in a safe manner,” Chief Miller said.

CHILD SEAT CONCERNS

Last Saturday’s check was one of several recently. A couple of weeks ago, police conducted a seat-belt and child-restraint inspection on South Street. That check was prompted in part when officers on crossing guard duty near Davidson Elementary School noticed parents passing with children not properly restrained, she said.

Two Davidson police officers are currently certified to conduct child safety-seat inspections, and more are scheduled for training in April. Chief Miller said she hopes the department eventually will be able offer parents help with child safety seats, perhaps during Saturday sessions.

— David Boraks

Comments Disabled To "What’s that roadblock all about?"

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