For drivers on Interstate 70 this summer, the sun has not been the only thing making them sweat.
On June 22, the Boone County Sheriff’s Department announced they would be partnering with the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety in a special I-70 corridor crackdown to increase awareness on speeding, unbuckled and impaired drivers for the coming weekend.
In Boone County, speeding was the most common infraction. Twenty-six citations for speed were given in 24 hours. Sgt. Paul Reinsch of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said the operation was a success.
“Saturating a problem area overall increases awareness and is in general a success,” he said.
Statewide, 15 agencies participated in the I-70 crackdown, giving a total of 380 citations for driving while intoxicated, 144 seatbelt citations, 530 citations for speeding and 1,800 total traffic stops during the 24-hour campaign.
But the extra pressure is not over yet. The I-70 project is just one part of “The HEAT Is On,” a statewide traffic enforcement campaign running from June 21 to Sept. 21. Most of Missouri’s traffic fatalities occur in July and September.
“The overall goal is really to keep Missourians safe,” MODOT spokeswoman Melissa Black said. “With summer traveling there is extra traffic and therefore more chances for crashes, injuries and fatalities.”
Since 2005, Missouri fatalities have dwindled from 1,257 to 878 total last year. Black said MCRS’ goal is to reduce fatal injuries to fewer than 850 in a year by 2012.
With ongoing campaigns like HEAT, Missouri is nearing the goal. Although it is too early to tell if the goal will be reached early, Black said the state might reach it.
“There is a good possibility if we keep on track with a 15 percent decrease from last year to this year so far,” Black said. “The hope is that by having extra enforcement added to education that Missourians will drive safer, wear their seatbelts and reduce injuries and fatalities.”
MCRS spokeswoman Revee White agreed with Black’s assessment.
“A combination of education and enforcement is the most effective way to see results from campaigns like HEAT,” she said.
White said there has been a 31 percent decrease of fatalities every year over the last four years with the combination of education, enforcement, engineering improvements and improvements to emergency services.
The most common violation in this crackdown was speeding, but in other areas it may be different.
MCRS urges drivers to take heed of the information provided to them to make Missouri a safer place to drive in the summer and all year. White said she believes in the success of HEAT and other ongoing campaigns like Click It or Ticket and You Drink, You Drive, You Lose.
“The fact is, fatalities are going down,” White said.