Ask a Trooper by Troy Christianson

Last week I picked up my new 2017 Ford Interceptor AWD squad car. Some of the features are listed below. Mine is a class B, which means there is not a light bar on the roof. The State Patrol has approximately 650 marked squads, of which 60 percent have light bars. Some of the other features include:

• 3.7L VVT V6 engine with 305HP

• 6-speed transmission

• 18-inch steel rims with 13-inch rotors

• Hands free SYNC bluetooth equipped

• 0 to 60 mph in 7.43 seconds

• Top speed 130-plus mph

• Top speed of 800MHz Police radio equals 186,000 miles per second

• Built at Ford assembly plant in Chicago. Ford custom paints them with Minnesota maroon — we are the only agency in the country with this color.

• Specially equipped and engineered for law enforcement

• Only vehicle in law enforcement market with 75 mph rear-impact crash safety rating

• Features a unique pursuit mode designed to provide quick engine response when needed, especially useful for the pursuit intervention technique maneuver

You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober.  Help us drive Minnesota toward zero deaths.

If you have any questions concerning traffic-related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State Patrol, at 2900 48th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901-5848; or reach him at Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us.

Troy Christianson is a sergeant with the Minnesota State Patrol.