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Road Watch members, Kim Dempsey-Calman and Kristi Van Kessel want to make drivers aware that they have eyes watching for motorists with poor driving habits. The two women are seen here in front of one of the many signs posted around Scugog Township. These eyes are watching you! Road Watch program members hope to make Scugog roads safer by encouraging residents to report dangerous drivers to police Have you ever watched another driver chatting away, cell phone stuck to their ear — and wished that a police car would cruise by at just that moment? Have you walked down Queen St. when an overly enthusiastic driver from the high school careened by — and you hoped they would soar right past an officer from the Durham Regional Police? Well, now you have an outlet for your concerns and frustration over road safety in Scugog. The power has been put into your hands through Road Watch, a community-based driving safety pro- gram to make drivers more aware of their actions. “Tf you're out and see someone doing somethin; stupid, and you think ‘oh, where are the police?’ but the police can’t be everywhere, so we encourage residents to get as much information as possible, the license plate, the vehicle description and a description of the driver, and then report it,” explains Kristi van Kessel, Road Watch spokesperson for the Scugog chapter. Then, go online to www.drps.ca, click on Road Watch and fill out an online report. You can also fill out a report form found at the Scugog Arena, the library, the Scugog Standard, the township office, or the Green- bank general store. Road Watch encourages online reporting though, for its speed and ease. And yes, you will be asked for your name and. contact information — which will not be revealed to the driver you are reporting — but is a cautionary meas- ure to prevent pranksters from filling out erroneous reports. Road Watch has existed in the Durham Region for years, but is reenergizing itself with a new, active com- mittee intent on making the public aware of this simple and effective program, and of course, making Durham roads safer. “It takes literally two minutes to fill out the report online,” says Kristi. “Then, you receive a confirmation email from Constable Sue Kelly.” And the driver? They receive a letter letting them know what they did, when they did it, and why it was such a bad idea. If a driver is reported a second time, then they will hear directly from the police. Multiple times? It de- Please turn to page 5 FOCUS - AUGUST 2013 3