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Let's be careful out there
Comments 0 | Recommend 0Like it or not, police will be out in full force this holiday weekend.
And they're offering numbers to back up the increased presence. Last year's Independence Day weekend left 13 people dead in Indiana as a result of highway wrecks.
Troopers will be targeting impaired drivers, motorists who speed, follow too close, make unsafe lane changes, drive aggressively, and fail to buckle up or properly restrain their children, Lt. Mark Davis of the Indiana State Police said in a news release. He's commander of the Seymour Post, which services Jackson, Jennings and Bartholomew counties.
We're glad to report that Davis plans an emphasis on roving patrols as opposed to the flashier, more intrusive checkpoints. Roving patrols focus on all types of dangerous driving - from speeding to excessive multi-tasking. An official from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation testified in the state's Supreme Court that roving patrols are 10 times more effective than roadblocks at catching drunken drivers. The patrol strategy would seem to represent the most effective use of the state's limited time and resources.
The fact is, though, that an increased trooper presence alone can't reduce the number of wrecks and deaths. Residents have a most important part to play in all of this. Taking personal responsibility to drive in a safe manner is a good start.
Residents can make a difference by obeying all the traffic laws. As a benefit, they're less likely to find themselves on the receiving end of a ticket. Nobody wants to be in that particular position.
Davis urged motorists to follow these tips:
- If you're planning to travel a long distance make sure you are well-rested. A fatigued driver is a dangerous driver.
- Make sure everyone is buckled up.
- Never drink and drive.
- And avoid tailgating; remember the two-second rule.
For the record, troopers will increase patrols over the holiday weekend that runs from 6 tonight to midnight Sunday.
At least you were warned. We wish everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July.
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