PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Hastings, an urban city in Adams County, Nebraska has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, particularly along a major artery that dissects the city. This area is congested with high volumes of traffic, and experiences the highest motor vehicle crash rate of any area in the city. Although speed limits are reduced in 10 miles per hour (mph) increments from the city's limits, motorists often maintain speeds higher than the posted limits.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
In 1996, the Hastings Police Department established a goal to reduce traffic crashes along the area identified as problematic. The police department established several objectives for reaching their goal:

• Reduce speeding through voluntary compliance
• Collect traffic data in the affected area
• Make better use of scarce police resources

STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES
The Hastings Police Department appealed to the Nebraska Office of Highway Safety for assistance in purchasing a Speed Monitoring Awareness (SMART) trailera self- contained traffic monitoring device that collects traffic information such as volume and speed, and visually displays traffic speed on a large screen. Because the emphasis of the Speed Monitoring Awareness Project was reduction of speed through voluntary compliance, the strategy to use the SMART monitoring device supported this compliance effort.

The police officials installed the SMART trailer in key locations experiencing a high incidence of speeding and crashes, and found immediate acceptance from the community. City residents were pleased with the method of informing motorists about their speed, and were especially pleased with the actual reduction of speed at problem locations.

Because the SMART trailer may be used to collect data on volume and speed, the police department used the trailer not only to conduct traffic studies in identified problem areas, but also to conduct traffic studies in neighborhoods where residents had complained about speeding. Using data from these traffic studies, police officials were able to adjust posted traffic speed limits where indicated and increase enforcement activities where needed. Speed studies performed using the SMART trailer have saved valuable hours of police time, and are considerably more comprehensive and accurate than studies performed by individual officers.

The Hastings Police Department has used the SMART trailer at community functions as a public education tool, including use of the trailer at the Boy Scouts Annual Soapbox Derby to record the speed of participants.