Extra patrol now through March 21
Feb. 26—Driving requires focus.
It's that simple — focus on the road, focus on your driving and focus on drivers around you.
Don't get distracted by cell phones, be sure to buckle up and never drink alcohol and drive.
These are easy steps to follow, especially when you're behind the wheel engaging in an activity involving a deadly weapon. And let's face it — a vehicle is a deadly weapon, even if many drivers don't seem to understand that concept.
In fact, 2020 was the third highest year for traffic fatalities in the last decade, according to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). Eight-hundred and fifty people lost their lives last year from traffic accidents — the year when the pandemic shut down much of the country and when traveling was down by 14.5 percent from previous years, based on National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.
Officers are hoping to reverse those fatality and accident numbers. So, between now and March 21, additional law enforcement officers from the Cass County Sheriff's Department and the Logansport Police Department will be pulling extra hours to crack down on dangerous and impaired driving, said Det. Joe Nies of the CCSD.
"This blitz focuses on dangerous driving — speeding, running through traffic lights, reckless driving," he said, explaining this won't be a roadblock effort. Instead, officers with the Cass County Traffic Safety Partnership will be working overtime with funds provided by the NHTSA through an ICJI grant.
"Dangerous and impaired driving continues to be a problem, especially around high-risk events like St. Patrick's Day and the NCAA Tournament," Nies said in a news release. "However you celebrate this year, do so responsibly. Slow down, buckle up and if you drink, don't drive. It's that simple."
