July 31, 2023 – The Decatur Police Department has described its Speed Awareness Day campaign, held last Wednesday, July 26, as a success.
Each year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration encourages police departments across the nation to increase enforcement and curb speeding. The Decatur Police Department joined other departments from 11 neighboring states, including Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, for this year’s NHTSA Region 5 high-visibility Speed Awareness Day. On July 26, DPD officers issued 37 total citations, with 25 for speed-related offenses.
“The hard work of our officers in these enforcement efforts was instrumental in preventing injuries and saving lives,” DPD Sgt. Steve Hagemeyer said in a press release. “We want to remind the public that speed is one of the leading contributing factors to fatal traffic crashes and deaths—there is never a good reason for a motorist to exceed the speed limit and endanger others.”
The one-day enforcement event was a partnership coordinated by the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, participating state highway safety offices and their respective law enforcement liaisons. The initiative had a twofold approach: to combine increased, zero-tolerance enforcement with effective communication to road users on the importance of obeying the speed limit.
According to NHTSA, the most fatal crashes where speed was a contributing factor happen between June and September each year. For more information from NHTSA about speeding, click HERE.
