Every traffic stop has the potential to prevent the next crash.

For the Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS), that mission has taken on new momentum through the deployment of 125 LTI 20/20 TruVISION™ photo/video lidar roadway enforcement units. Supported by funding from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the statewide initiative equips officers with technology designed to identify one of the most dangerous, and often overlooked, driving behaviors on today's highways: following too closely.

Tailgating is a leading contributor to rear-end collisions, particularly those involving commercial vehicles. While officers have always relied on experience and observation to recognize unsafe following distances, the LTI 20/20 TruVISION provides objective measurements and photographic evidence that strengthen enforcement decisions and improve documentation in the field.

Before the rollout, Laser Tech (LTI) spent nearly a month training members of Mississippi's Commercial Transportation Enforcement Division and Highway Patrol. Through classroom instruction and live roadside exercises, officers learned to use the LTI 20/20 TruVISION Distance Between Cars (DBC) feature to accurately measure the time and distance separating vehicles while simultaneously documenting violations with high-resolution imagery.

The impact has been noticeable almost immediately.

Although statewide performance data is still being collected, officers are already reporting increased traffic stops and more opportunities to intervene before dangerous driving behaviors lead to crashes. They describe having greater confidence in identifying violations and initiating enforcement, helping them address unsafe following distances with objective evidence rather than observation alone.

While these observations remain anecdotal, they represent an encouraging early indication that the technology is helping officers become more proactive on Mississippi's roadways.

The department is now closely tracking enforcement activity alongside commercial vehicle crash and traffic fatality data to better understand the program's long-term impact. As additional data becomes available, Mississippi DPS and Laser Tech look forward to evaluating measurable outcomes and sharing how enhanced enforcement may contribute to safer highways across the state.

For law enforcement agencies across the country, the initiative demonstrates that investing in modern traffic enforcement technology is about more than issuing citations: it’s about giving officers better tools to identify dangerous behavior, intervene before tragedy occurs, and return home knowing they helped make the roads safer for every driver they serve.

When technology empowers officers to act sooner, everyone traveling those roads benefits.