News Release

INDIANAPOLIS — Law enforcement agencies in Indiana are taking part in a multi-state effort to address the troubling rise in speeding and aggressive driving.

Across the Midwest, officers will be out in full force, showing zero tolerance for drivers traveling above the posted speed limit.

The Speed Awareness Day enforcement campaign will take place July 27 and is part of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Great Lakes, High Stakes” initiative. The overtime patrols are funded with federal grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

Participating states include Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

“We have a growing crisis on our roadways, and driving too fast and aggressively is at the center of it,” said Devon McDonald, ICJI executive director. “This isn’t a game. There are no second chances. If you die in a crash or end up killing someone, that’s it. We can and we must break this cycle.”

Mirroring national trends, Indiana has seen a drastic increase in deadly crashes and speeding-related fatalities since the start of the pandemic.

In 2020, a total of 897 people lost their lives on Indiana roads, a 10% increase from 2019. Of those fatalities, 238 or approximately one-fourth involved speeding. That’s the highest number in the past decade and an 18% increase from the previous year, despite having fewer drivers on the road.