If D.C.-area drivers are not known for their road skills, neither are local police known for enforcing the laws that might alter this behavior. We have no empirical proof that the cops of the region turn any particular blind eye to traffic violations. A few hours in a car during the evening rush, though, or even a spin through the many anecdotes posted in DCist comment threads should be enough to convince you that drivers in this city have few legal incentives to drive the straight and narrow path.

That should change this week, as D.C., Maryland, and Virginia police kick off a joint effort to crack down on aggressive drivers. Much like the region’s Street Smart Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Campaign, the Smooth Operator Program, as it is called, will target drivers who engage in “speeding, passing, overtaking, failure to obey lane controls, traffic signals and lights.” The week-long effort will recur twice more in the coming summer months, ending with a two week push into the Labor Day weekend. So, if only for a week, be nice out there on the roads!

Photo by Dystopos