The California Highway Patrol will deploy a new tool in its crackdown on what it calls “video game-styled” driving with a fleet of new patrol vehicles.
“These new patrol units, distinct from our iconic black and whites, retain the manufacturer’s paint job, helping officers blend into traffic and catch reckless drivers in the act,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in a video introducing the vehicles on X.
The CHP has used the Specially Marked Patrol Vehicle (SMPV) program for over 40 years to stop specific traffic safety challenges.
The CHP will deploy 100 of the “next generation of SMPVs” across California to confront its latest threat: aggressive drivers who speed excessively, tailgate, split lanes and endanger lives.
“When they spot our marked units, they often change their behavior briefly. These new patrol vehicles will help us hold them accountable,” Duryee said.
The Dodge Durango SMPVs are equipped with emergency lighting and a version of the CHP badge on the door.
More than 4,000 traffic deaths are reported each year in California despite advances in vehicle safety. “Most of these are preventable,” Duryee said. “A small percentage of aggressive drivers put everyone at risk.
