The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Law enforcement holds holiday detail to try to help save lives
Motorists traveling through Northeast Ohio can expect to see plenty of red and blue flashing lights over the long holiday weekend.
Law enforcement agencies in Northeast
Ohio are joining forces this weekend for two major traffic enforcement details aimed at saving lives.
Lt. Larry Roberts, commander of the Ohio Highway Patrol’s Chardon Post, says OHP has requested assistance from every law enforcement agency in Lake and Geauga counties for the Lights for Life initiative.
Lights for Lives is a collaborative effort between the OHP, the Sheriff’s departments in Lake and Geauga counties and local police departments to combat aggressive, distracted and unsafe driving.
The plan is to have law enforcement officials constantly stopping cars, which would keep the cruisers’ lights constantly on.
“The more lights that are on the more people will slow down and try to control things and that’s the reason for the Lights for Lives,” Roberts said. “Basically it’s just going to be keep pulling them over, just keep stopping people throughout the counties.
“The more lights people see through the counties the more people should slow down and the less crashes we should have, especially, in the bad weather and especially up on interstate 90.”
Troopers and officers will be continuously stopping cars for speeding, moving violations and distracted driving.
“The whole focus is for all departments to work together and send a message to motorists traveling through the area,” Roberts said.
The lieutenant noted that as of Nov. 13 he had received responses back from the half of law enforcement agencies in Lake and Geauga counties and the sheriffs departments in both that they will be participating, and anticipates hearing back from more before Thanksgiving.
In his request to the agencies, Roberts noted that with the influx of fatal traffic crashes in the counties, and the anticipated increased traffic for the holiday season that this initiative would be a proactive way to keep the motoring public safe.
It is the lieutenant’s hopes that with all the agencies working together to send a message to motorists traveling through the area, the joint effort will create an impact that will last throughout the holiday season.
Lights for Lives will run from 6 a.m. on Nov. 23 through 6 a.m., Nov. 25.
OHP is also running a statewide seat belt enforcement during November so focus will be on more than moving violations, distracted and impaired driving.
The second enforcement detail is focused on the I-90 Corridor from Elyria all the way to the Pennsylvania state line.
“The purpose of the effort is not only to aggressively seek out aggressive and impaired drivers but to educate the motoring public about dangerous driving behaviors and how they impact overall road safety, a news release from the Cleveland OHP Post read. “With the increase in holiday weekend travel and a history of elevated crashes involving impairment surrounding Thanksgiving, the message and enforcement are both timely and relevant. “
With both initiatives running at the same, Roberts will be operating the post with full staff on duty.
“The two initiatives from Cleveland and Geauga are being worked together because of the holiday,” Roberts said. “Thanksgiving is one of the holidays where we have a lot of people get hurt, and a lot of people get killed. It’s a combination of the weather and a combination of everybody out for the holiday, so we are doing all this trying to get people to not hurt themselves.”
“The more lights that are on the more people will slow down and try to control things and that’s the reason for the Lights for Lives. “Basically it’s just going to be keep pulling them over, just keep stopping people throughout the counties. The more lights people see through the counties the more people should slow down and the less crashes we should have, especially, in the bad weather and especially up on interstate 90.”
— Lt. Larry Roberts, commander of the Ohio Highway Patrol’s Chardon Post