Drivers stopped by police for routine traffic violations may watch their cars get towed away if they're unable to produce a valid license, or if their registration has been suspended because of unpaid tickets or lapsed insurance. Traffic Court officials also credited the Daily News' yearlong investigation into unsafe streets in Philadelphia. For the first time in any city, the newspaper conducted a computer analysis that showed the locations of crashes and their major causes. For the past generation, it has failed to track down repeat offenders and collect fines. Barely one in 10 tickets gets paid off.
Cops make only a token effort at enforcing traffic laws.
They write about one-third the number of tickets they wrote 20 years ago. DUI arrests have dropped by half in that period. In one-quarter of city crashes, a driver cowardly flees the scene. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution, or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. is expressly prohibited.