Local Law Enforcement Agencies Receive Funding to Curb Dangerous Driving

The funding will be used for overtime patrols that usually coincide with holiday weekends.

Shutterstock photo.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) recently awarded $5.7 million in grant funding to more than 200 police departments for enhanced traffic enforcement.

Departments will use the funding to conduct overtime patrols and carry out strategies aimed at curbing dangerous and reckless driving.

Most of their efforts will take place during targeted enforcement campaigns, which coincide with some of the deadliest times of the year to be on the road, such as the holiday season and Labor Day. While officers will be on the lookout for all traffic violations, their focus will be on addressing some of the leading causes of fatal crashes including impaired driving, speeding, distracted driving and lack of seat belt use.

Local award recipients include:

• Dearborn County ($28,800) – Lawrenceburg Police Department, Aurora Police Department, Dillsboro Police Department, Dearborn County Sheriff’s Office, Greendale Police Department.

“One of the aftereffects of the pandemic that we’re still grappling with is the impact it’s had on the way people drive,” said Devon McDonald, ICJI Executive Director. “Last year was one of the deadliest we’ve seen in nearly two decades, since the early 2000s. It’s time we put a stop to this crisis. The extra enforcement will help, but we need every person to make responsible decisions behind the wheel.”

According to the NHTSA, 20,175 people died in motor vehicle crashes nationwide in the first half of 2022, up slightly from the previous year.

The rising number of crash-related deaths can be attributed, in part, to an increase in unsafe driving behavior such as speeding, driving impaired or distracted, and not wearing seat belts, according to ICJI.

Click here to download a list of the 2023 award recipients. The grants were awarded to stand-alone police agencies and traffic safety partnerships made up of multiple agencies.