WWJ -- Hundreds of drivers in metro Detroit will have lighter wallets after a traffic crackdown by Michigan State Police on local freeways this week.
17 drivers were hit for distracted driving. Police say they handed out 202 verbal warnings.
The fastest driver that troopers nailed for a speeding ticked during the traffic detail was going 101 mph.
"This has been very effective for us," MSP First Lt. Mike Shaw told WWJ. "Our ultimate goal is to reduce traffic deaths."
Shaw says that number has been "ticking upwards" in recent years, but he says it's starting to trend the other way, as the number of traffic deaths in Michigan is roughly 20 fewer than at this time a year ago.
This traffic detail comes after State Police wrote more than 200 tickets during a crackdown along Ford Road in Dearborn and Dearborn Heights last week -- including 133 tickets for seatbelt violations. Shaw says they conducted that traffic detail after a tip was sent to them via Twitter.
"Somebody said there's a lot of people that were breaking the law, going down Ford. Unfortunately, they were correct," he said.
Shaw says there will likely be another operation next week.
"These operations become successful when we don't stop anybody at all. And we all kind of know that's probably never going to happen," Shaw said.