State Police Patrols On Route 24 To Cost $125,000 In Overtime
BRIDGEWATER (CBS) - It's been a deadly summer on Route 24, and police are stepping up patrols in effort to make the highway safer.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Kim Tunnicliffe reports.
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Read: Is Route 24 Too Dangerous?
Back on July 12, a Norton girl was killed as her mother drove her to cheer-leading practice on Route 24 in Avon. Then, a few days later, a wrong-way driver caused a fatal crash in West Bridgewater.
The state police said their review shows alcohol and speed are the leading causes of crashes on the busy highway.
Now until the end of September, an additional 11 troopers will patrol Route 24 and I-195 on weekend nights, when most of the crashes have taken place.
"Our review has also revealed an increase in wrong-way operation. The July 15th double fatality on Route 24 was caused by a wrong-way operator. Just two nights later we arrested two separate wrong-way operators on Route 195, not far from here," said Col. Timothy Alben, a State Police Superintendent.
It will cost $125,000 in overtime to have those 11 troopers patrolling Route 24 on weekend nights through the end of September.
State Police Trooper Nuno Medeiros took WBZ-TV on a ride-along Thursday.
WBZ-TV's Bill Shields reports
