Per today’s press release, the Texas DPS’s holiday “special concern” is “drinking and driving,” but that doesn’t stop them from a colossal revenue grab.
In 2007, at least 80%* of their holiday moving violation tickets were revenue enhancement speeding tickets. Their stated “special focus” suggests the same will happen again.
The Texas Legislature created our 70 mph rural speed limit in 1963. Now, if you can tell me what an arbitrary number, picked out of a hat 45 years ago, has to do with road safety… You get the point: NOTHING!
So, yes, fully eighty percent of TxDPS’s holiday moving violation activity is revenue enhancement. This is what passes for highway policing?
Thank you, Texas DPS: revenue first.
*80% is from speeding tickets / (total citations - seat belt violations).