Lima Ohio -
The white Ford Crown Victorias that drivers are used to seeing in the median along the highway, are disappearing. Ohio State Highway Patrol is retiring the vehicles when they hit 130 thousand miles, a low mileage for some, but Sgt Burd of the Lima Post, says 130 thousand miles leads to a worn out vehicle.
Replacing the cars, new Dodge Chargers, sporting a large V8 engine with a top speed of 160mph, allowing for patrolmen to catch speeders more quickly and respond to accidents faster. The new color and design has also lead to some surprising traffic stops, as Sgt Burd says some drivers speed right by him, not realizing that they just passed a patrol car.
Lima's State Highway Patrol post currently has one Dodge Charger, but plans to add two more in the next three to four months.
Due to the change in the make and model of the cars, patrolmen assigned one of the new Chargers must take a high speed driving course before being allowed to drive the vehicle.
As the current Crown Victorias retire, drivers can expect to see more of the new silver Chargers on the roadway.
