Speeding motorists face crackdown

Arkansas law enforcement officers are launching a concentrated weeklong speed enforcement plan.

The operation will be promoted across the state using the message “Obey the Sign or Pay the Fine.”

The intensified enforcement effort will begin Monday and continue through the following Sunday, July 22. It will involve law enforcement departments across the state

“Speeding leads to death on our roadways,” said Colonel Bill Bryant, director of Arkansas State Police and the Governor’s Highway Safety Representative. “Higher speeds reduce a driver’s ability to steer safely around other vehicles, roadway hazards and unexpected highway exits or directions.”

Drivers who ignore the speed limit put themselves, their passengers and others at tremendous risk. During 2015, speeding was a contributing factor in 27 percent of all fatal crashes in the U.S. and more than 9,500 lives were lost in such crashes, according to the latest data available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Driving above the posted speed limit or speeding in bad weather conditions dramatically increases the probability that a motorist will be involved in a crash,” Bryant said.

“State troopers and other law enforcement officers will be on the lookout for speeding drivers.”

The goal of the operation is to save lives and make drivers aware that no excuses are acceptable. When it comes to speeding, Obey the Sign or Pay the Fine.