By 
August 11, 2025
With just one day left in the Huntsville Police Department’s (HPD) Summer Slowdown initiative, three City Council members are urging drivers to hit the brakes – literally and figuratively.
The Summer Slowdown initiative is HPD’s annual push to reduce crashes during the busiest driving months while also emphasizing the need to be aware of your speed throughout the year. Through targeted enforcement and increased patrols in high-complaint areas, officers are working to remind residents that driving is a responsibility – not a race.
But while the campaign is winding down, District 2 Council Member David Little, District 3 Council Member Jennie Robinson and District 4 Council Member Bill Kling say the real work is just getting started – and it begins with drivers choosing to do better.
“Speeding is the No. 1 complaint I get.”
If you ask Council Member Robinson what she hears most from her constituents, she won’t hesitate: it’s speeding.
“I get more complaints about speeding than anything else, with the exception of roads that need to be paved,” Robinson said. “People are worried – especially in South Huntsville where traffic has increased significantly.”
One stretch of the road that keeps coming up? South Memorial Parkway, where the posted speed limit is 50mph – but most drivers treat it like a suggestion.
“When I did a ride along, the officer showed me what he does to slow people down on the Parkway,” Robinson said. “He just drove up next to the driver who was going 63mph and the driver immediately slowed down. He stayed right next to the driver until he hit 50mph and all the other drivers around them slowed down too.”
Robinson attended a Huntsville Police Citizens Advisory Council forum a few months ago where residents voiced frustrations about chronic speeding in South Huntsville. She relayed those concerns to HPD and saw action almost immediately.
“Later that week, I was driving home from church and saw four police cars lined up on the northbound access road,” Robinson said. “Each one had stopped a car for speeding after they ran radar on the Martin Road overpass. That was a direct response to citizen concerns, and I was grateful to see it.”
“I spent 16 days in the hospital.”
For Council Member Little, traffic safety is far more than a talking point. It’s something that changed his life forever.
“My family was involved in a crash caused by a distracted driver,” Little said. “I spent 16 days in the hospital and needed a wheelchair for several months before I was able to walk again.”
That kind of trauma leaves a lasting impression and fuels Little’s commitment to Huntsville’s Hands-Free Ordinance, which prohibits handheld phone use while driving within city limits.
Little hears from residents regularly about reckless driving in his district – everything from speeding on neighborhood cut-throughs to drivers blowing through stop signs and ignoring school zone speed limits. He stays in regular contact with HPD Chief Kirk Giles to make sure those concerns are addressed promptly.
“You don’t want to answer your door to find a police officer standing there to tell you a loved one has been killed in a crash that was completely preventable,” he said. “That’s a nightmare no family should have to live through.”
‘Speed kills’
Long-time Council Member Kling has seen a lot of growth in Huntsville and, as a result, a large increase in traffic. But no matter the traffic, one question always applies to safe driving: Is your destination worth risking your safety?
“I’ve been driving a long time, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this: speed kills,” he said. “I know folks are always in a hurry, always rushing from one place to the next. But let me tell you, no appointment is worth a life – not yours, not someone else’s.”
While the dangers of speeding are naturally associated with high-traffic thoroughfares such as Memorial Parkway and Interstate 565, safety in neighborhoods should never be overlooked. Whether it’s pets or small children lulled by the calm of a neighborhood environment, drivers should always be aware of their surroundings and expect the unexpected.
“It’s important to slow down in neighborhoods, watch for kids and pets, and give yourself time to stop if something unexpected happens,” Kling said. “Take it from an old-timer – ease off the gas. Better to show up late than not at all.”
Let’s keep the momentum going
As the school year begins and the Summer Slowdown initiative winds down, the Council Members are urging drivers to carry the message forward because safety isn’t seasonal.
“Leave a little earlier. Pay attention. Slow down,” Little said. “This isn’t about getting a ticket – it’s about preventing tragedy.”
And with the City continuing to grow, the responsibility to drive safely grows with it.
“We need to be even more mindful of safety,” Robinson said. “We can take care of each other by watching our speed and making safety a priority for everyone.”
So, here’s your homework, Huntsville:
- Watch your speed.
- Drive like the people around you matter – because they do.
A police officer shouldn’t have to slow you down. Your conscience (and your community) should.
