A crash that killed a seven-year-old pedestrian has prompted the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) to increase the number of traffic tickets issued.
From the beginning of this year through the first week of February, APD issued 7,485 tickets, which is up about 30% from the same five-week span in 2019, before the pandemic gripped the city.
A spokesperson for the APD said to KRQE that police have focused much of their attention on areas like Central Ave., from 8th to Coors, citing drivers for speeding, running red lights, and cutting off pedestrians.
Many residents approve of the emphasis on safety.
“Maybe it’s a good idea to remind people, hey, there are rules to the road, you need to be courteous and careful,” Rafael Lecki, an Albuquerque resident, said to KRQE. “The most important thing is to get there safely, not to get there quickly.”
Lecki said he lives near Lead Ave., where drivers seem to have a lead foot. “I live right near Lead and, man, are people moving down Lead,” he said.
The APD spokesperson said the increased citations have changed driving habits in the area, and there have been fewer calls reporting traffic violations. Similar surveillance operations are planned for other parts of town.
“I feel like that’s actually a good thing, considering a lot of people do break those violations,” Selena Orona, also an Albuquerque resident, said to KRQE.
According to the report, the number of fatal accidents in Albuquerque rose to 85 last year from 55 in 2019.
APD warned of a crackdown on dangerous driving after seven-year-old Pronoy Bhattacharya was struck and killed while walking with his father at the intersection of Central and Tingley on Dec. 12.
