New website promotes STTOP, makes Sheriff’s program easier to use

New website promotes STTOP, makes Sheriff’s program easier to use By Michael Picarella pic@theacorn.com

At the very least, reckless driving can lead to accidents that cause traffic jams. Worse yet, reckless driving can cause death and untold hardship. Neither scenario is welcome.

Police say you can do your part to help reduce reckless driving in the area by reporting bad drivers to STTOP (Sheriff’s Teen Traffic Offender Program). And STTOP now has a new website: www.sttop.net.

Previously, STTOP had provided only a telephone hotline for residents to report bad driving. The new website makes it easier to pass the information along.

"Calabasas received a grant for traffic safety programs from the Office of Traffic Safety (through the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency)," said Tom Gdala, assistant transportation planner for the city of Calabasas. "In order to keep (STTOP) up with the modern times of today, we . . . used some of the grant funds to develop a website to assist with the program."

Calabasas Mayor Barry Groveman has been instrumental in fighting reckless driving in Calabasas and says he’s pleased to have the new STTOP website.

"The website and hotline are tools that will help officers respond to traffic situations more expeditiously," Groveman said. "The program is another tool which will help crackdown on bad or reckless driving behavior, which translates into injuries prevented and lives saved."

STTOP, which is administered by the Sheriff’s Department, hopes to correct poor driving habits before they lead to fatalities. The program was initially designed to report bad driving by teenagers, but it has since been expanded, according to Dep. Mike Woodard, STTOP coordinator for this area.

Woodard has intervened with elderly drivers, convincing some of them to head back to the DMV for driving evaluations.

Woodard will go to the bad driver’s home and, if the motorist is a teenager, speak with both teen and parents to resolve the issue. But the bad drivers won’t be given tickets because a patrol officer didn’t catch them in the act.

STTOP responds to calls from residents in Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Westlake Village and Hidden Hills. Other cities nearby also use STTOP.

To report dangerous teen drivers in the area or to request a visit from Woodard, call the toll free number, (877) 310-STOP (7867). The STTOP hotline shouldn’t be used for emergencies, Woodard said, because calls to the hotline are not answered immediately. Urgent reports, such as a drunk driver sighting, should be directed to 911.