Motorists in Naperville and all across Illinois can expect to see an increased police presence on the road enforcing the speed limit Wednesday for Illinois Speed Awareness Day.
Part of a month-long campaign
The day is part of a larger Speeding Catches Up With You campaign for the entire month of July. As part of such, various police departments throughout the state – including Naperville’s – have been stepping up safety efforts, including increasing patrols looking for motorists who do speed and commit other traffic violations, and will increase efforts even further on this day.
“Speeding causes unnecessary danger on our roads,” said Naperville Police Sgt. Eric Muska. “Speed greatly reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around another vehicle, a hazardous object or an unexpected curve. Speeding drivers put themselves, their passengers and other motorists at tremendous risk.”
By the numbers
According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, speeding was a contributing factor in the following:
- 44.9% of all motor vehicle fatalities
- 36.3% of all injury crashes
- 31.1% of all roadway crashes
Nationally, there were more than 11,000 speeding-related deaths in 2024, based on the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Illinois State Police offer several tips for how to avoid becoming part of the next statistic, including:
- Obey the posted speed limit on all roads
- Reduce your speed when road conditions are less than ideal
- Keep a two-second following distance
- At night and in other low visibility conditions, reduce speed and increase your following distance
- Always wear your safety belt
Increased enforcement
With the goal of saving more lives, a press release from the NPD states that officers will enforce the consequences for offenders, stopping and ticketing them, particularly on major roadways where speed-related crashes typically occur…