Dear Mahatma: On the way to work the other night, a car pulled up behind me on U.S. 67-167, rode my bumper, then blinked its lights. I figured it was a hotshot, and he wanted me to switch lanes. I was going the speed limit, so I stayed where I was since that was the lane I needed to be in. He blinked again, then passed me. It was a state trooper. Any idea what he wanted me to do? I'd like to know, so I can react properly next time. -- Old Friend and Bookend
Dear Bookend: The question is simple, agreed Bill Sadler, the public information guy at the Arkansas State Police. The answer, not so much.
Unfortunately, he said, the most important piece of information is missing. That is, which trooper?
Trooper cars have alphanumeric identifiers on the front and back. Troop A serves Pulaski County, where our reader was driving, plus Faulkner, Lonoke and Saline counties. This trooper could have been A-something -- A-14, A-56, etc. But there are 12 troops around the state, so no telling.
Knowing the trooper, or his identifier, would allow the troop captain to find an answer.
Sadler added one more thing. In what traffic lane were you, Bookend, as the trooper approached? Anyone driving in the inside lane of a divided or controlled access highway should yield to faster traffic by moving to the outside lane.
Should a driver encounter questionable driving by a state trooper, he may call the appropriate troop headquarters and speak to the troop captain or lieutenant. Go to asp.arkansas.gov for complete details.
Dear Mahatma: Can you find out how many Arkansas highway fatalities involve DUI situations? And how many are sans-seatbelt related? -- Teresa
Dear Teresa: We looked at the latest annual fatality report from the Arkansas State Police. It comes from 2011.
We learn that of 551 total fatalities, 231 were alcohol- or drug-related.
We learn that seat belts were not used in 237 fatalities.
Back in February, the state police, the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and the state Department of Health introduced a campaign called "Toward Zero Deaths."
At a news conference about the campaign, it was said the Health Department would analyze highway fatality data. Turns out that analysis will be part of the Preventable Mortality Study. The study will look at a statistical representation of trauma-related deaths. So says Kerry Krell, a spokesman for the Health Department.
The study, a first-time thing, will evaluate the effectiveness of the state's trauma system, which dates from 2009.
Highway deaths are one component of the study, which will examine all trauma-related deaths. The study is expected to be completed in January.
From the data there will surely come knowledge.
Vanity plate seen around town: JUSSAYN
Mahatma@arkansasonline.com
Metro on 10/18/2014