“We were also looking at the education front — what can we do to get people’s attention and hopefully have an impact on them to change their driving behavior?” Povilaitis said. “We thought this would be a good idea to try to bring some attention to the consequences of unsafe speed and provide an opportunity for us to educate the public.”
Similar displays have been held in the past to demonstrate to teens the effects of speeding, he said.
City and police officials will not monitor the display, and only the car and electronic signs will be at the location, Povilaitis said. He hopes motorists who see the display will decide to slow down and be more careful.
Getting the display together was a joint effort among the police department, the city’s Parks, Recreation and Community Service department, Public Works and Gay’s Automotive and Towing Services.
“It’s got community involvement, and it took coordinated and cooperative efforts of several departments here in the city,” Povilaitis said.
Parks, Recreation and Community Service department officials helped plan the setup of the car in an effort to avoid damaging the irrigation system, and Public Works donated the use of two electronic signs, Povilaitis said.
The towing yard donated the car, which it received from a fatal freeway accident that occurred in another city about four or five months ago, towing yard owner Carvel Gay said.
Gay, a Glendale resident, helped police officials set up the car Wednesday and saw several motorists slow down to look, while others drove around the block twice to see the display, he said.
