The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Grant is to prevent fatal crashes
Grant will pay for extra patrols on county roads to target drugged driving
Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand announced Dec. 3 that the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, has awarded $6,596.77 in federal traffic safety funding to the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office.
The funds will pay for extra patrols on county roads to target drugged driving, according to a news release.
“These funds are critical to ensure that we are doing everything possible to reduce traffic fatalities,” Hildenbrand said.
Based on crash data, the sheriff’s office and its partners at the state level have identified fatal and serious injury crashes related to drugged driving a priority area for enforcement in Geauga County.
In 2017, crash data reports 21.4 million drivers drove after drinking alcohol and 12.8 million drivers drove after taking illegal drugs, the release stated. In 2016, 43.6 percent of those killed in traffic crashes tested positive for drugs.
To reduce these statistics, the sheriff’s office confirmed it will be conducting high visibility enforcement, working extra hours and conducting education events on traffic safety. The office will also be using extra patrols on roads identified as problem areas with an emphasis on major thoroughfares.
Drugged driving is defined as the use of all illegal narcotics and the overuse of prescription or overthe-counter medications.
This is the first time this type of grant funding has been offered in Ohio to combat the problem of drugged driving.
“The Geauga County Sheriff’s Office is proud to be one of the first agencies in the state to take advantage of this type of enforcement funding,” Hildenbrand said. “These extra patrols will help to keep the citizens of Geauga County safe.”