ISP announces Speed Awareness Campaign

(WAND) — Wednesday marks Speed Awareness Day and Illinois State Police is announcing a new campaign, teaming up with 11 states, to crack down on unsafe driving.

"It means you're going to see our troopers out on the expressway, the state routes, even the city streets. We're going to be stopping vehicles, we're going to be writing citations," Trooper Melissa Albert-Lopez told WAND News.

The high visibility campaign means troopers are out acting as a deterrent on roadways.

"Hopefully that encourages you to slow down and we don't have to have a 1-on-1 interaction," Trooper Albert-Lopez explained.

The National Transportation Safety Administration (NTSA) said data shows drivers who speed, are also more likely to not wear a seat belt, drink and drive, or use a cellphone while driving.

"Our campaign is an effort to address a continued trend of speeding, and dangerous moving violations, which are some of the major causes of most personal injury and fatal crashes," Trooper Albert-Lopez added.

In the United States, 42,759 were killed in car crashes last year, and deadly crashes involving speeding are usually higher during the summer months.

"Speeding is known to cause crashes. I'ts actually considered to be responsible for at least 1/3 of all fatalities in crashes nationwide," Trooper Albert-Lopez said.

So this summer, ISP is reminding drivers to leave early, slow down, drive safe and live longer.

"We will be there. We will be stopping cars and keeping everyone safe, and making sure people get where they need to go safely," Trooper Albert-Lopez told WAND News.

Other states taking part in campaign include Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri.