Driving over the speed limit – or committing any other moving violations – in Manteca on Thursday would be a big mistake.

From 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 9, the city will be blanketed by up to 20 motorcycle officers from throughout San Joaquin County partnering for a Saturation Traffic Enforcement Program intended to educate the public about safe-driving practices.

The effort – known as a S.T.E.P. enforcement – will include motorcycle units from Manteca, Ripon, Tracy, Lathrop, Lodi, and San Joaquin County that will look for vehicle code violations and promote responsible driving.

The officers will be looking for vehicle code violations that police say frequently cause or contribute to traffic collisions on Manteca’s roadways – including unsafe speed, right-of-way violations, driving under the influence, unsafe turning movements, stop sign violations, and hands-on cell phone use.

In a release announcing the undertaking, the Manteca Police department encouraged residents to do what they can to improve safety on local roadways and ensure that people arrive at their destinations safe.

 “Everyone can help in making Manteca’s streets safer,” the department said in a statement announcing the operation. “Slow down. Scan ahead. Don’t drink and drive. Put your cell phone down. Be aware of your surroundings. Report reckless driving.

“By exercising safe roadway habits, together, we as a community can greatly reduce injuries and deaths on Manteca roadways.”

Communities throughout San Joaquin County have been trying to come up with ways to not only increase driver awareness about safe driving practices, but also groups that flaunt traffic laws by participating in things like impromptu sideshows and performing burnouts at intersections that can jeopardize the safety of other motorists on the road.

In Lathrop, for example, the city has approved installing signs warning motorists that participating in such activities carries steep legal and financial fines – including having vehicles impounded for up to 30 days at the expense of the driver.

In October of last year Manteca Police relied on the assistance of other jurisdictions to blanket a sideshow in the parking lot of the Grocery Outlet on E. Yosemite Ave. and issued 60 citations to drivers that were operated their vehicles unsafely.

It’s not uncommon for S.T.E.P. enforcements to result in many tickets being issued to motorists that are breaking the law – such was the case in Lathrop in 2019 when a similar action resulted in more than 160 tickets being issued. That enforcement, which was not announced in advance, generated significant conversation on social media when residents did not recognize the decals on many of the traffic officers that were posted around the community.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.