The Johnson County Law Enforcement Coalition is stepping up patrols to curb dangerous and aggressive driving.
The enforcement campaign will run through March 21, according to a Johnson County Sheriff’s Office news release.
The safety initiative is designed to reduce crashes and traffic fatalities and promote safe driving around St. Patrick’s Day and the NCAA Tournament. It also comes at a time when roadway deaths continue to climb across the state and nation, according to the news release.
Officers will conduct high-visibility patrols over the next several weeks, showing zero tolerance for anyone driving aggressively, over the speed limit or under the influence. The extra enforcement is funded through National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), the news release says.
Nationwide, traffic fatalities continued to rise at a record pace last year, according to newly released federal data.
NHTSA projects an estimated 31,720 people were killed on U.S. roadways in the first nine months of 2021, a 12% increase from the same period in 2020. In Indiana, preliminary data from ICJI shows 941 people died in fatal crashes last year. While that’s up 5% from 2020, it’s a 16% increase from pre-pandemic 2019, and represents the highest number of traffic fatalities since 2005, according to the news release.
Throughout the campaign, the department will encourage motorists to focus on safe driving and follow the rules of the road, including wearing a seat belt at all times, driving sober, watching for pedestrians, driving distraction-free and obeying all posted speed limits, the news release says.
