The La Porte Police Department will be conducting 50 hours of additional Operation Pull Over funded traffic safety patrols from February 10 – February 21. Patrol officers will be working in all parts of La Porte with the primary focus of enforcing seat belt and child restraint laws; while also strictly enforcing all other traffic laws throughout the city.
During 2014, the La Porte Police Department investigated 550 cases pf property damage and 110 personal injury traffic crashes. Personal injury crashes injured a total of 144 people, with 16 of those crashes involving occupants that were unrestrained. In 2014, February had the second highest number of crashes of any month with 56 cases of property damage and 9 personal injury crashes.
“The time period around Valentine’s Day was chosen because it is a good time for us to remember that one of the best things we can do for our loved ones is to always make sure they are properly restrained when in a motor vehicle,” said Captain Tom Heath. “The greatest way to prevent injury or death in a motor vehicle crash is to be buckled up 100% of the time.” Using crash data from last February, the La Porte Police Department is making a special effort this year ensure all motorists are safe around the Valentine’s Day holiday. Motorists are encouraged to always obey posted speed limits and buckle up to reduce the risk of injury or death in a motor vehicle crash.
Operation Pull Over is a traffic safety grant program funded through federal highway safety funds and is administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. To find out more information about Operation Pull Over, DUI: Taskforce Indiana and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute’s programs please visit their website at http://www.in.gov/cji.