Merrillville Police Department participates in Speeding Slows You Down campaign
enforcement agencies to keep drivers and passengers safe by raising awareness about the dangers of
speeding and urging drivers to obey speed limits.
From July 10 to July 31, law enforcement officers in the community will be on high alert for speeding
vehicles while participating in the Speeding Slows You Down campaign, funded by the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).
Not only is speeding illegal, it’s also deadly. In 2021, speeding killed 252 people in Indiana, accounting for
more than one-quarter of all crash fatalities. Tragically, there was a dramatic increase (15%) in speeding-related crash fatalities from 2021-2022.
Preliminary data shows that in 2022, speeding killed 290 people in Indiana, with nearly 300 fatalities
projected in 2023. The Merrillville Police Department wants to remind drivers that, no matter how
seasoned you are as a driver, ultimately, Speeding Slows You Down.
Much like impaired driving, speeding can have deadly consequences for the driver, passengers, and
pedestrians. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to steer safely around another vehicle, a hazardous
object, or an unexpected curve. Even the safest cars with the newest technologies are limited in how
much they can help reduce the odds of a crash.
“Speed limit signs are not suggestions, they are the law,” Merrillville Lt. Kurt Horvath said. “They are
posted for the safety of the driver and others. Unfortunately, we see people speeding every day. If you’re
killed in a crash, or if you kill someone else, that’s it – there’s no second chance. Speeding just isn’t
worth the risk.”
According to data from ICJI, more people crash while speeding on local roads than on highways. In 2022,
77% of all speeding-related traffic crashes on Indiana roads occurred on non-interstate roadways.
Drivers in neighborhoods and on secondary roads should be especially aware of this campaign and their
speed.
“Local roads are where most of our speeding-related crashes occur,” Horvath said. “We will be
concentrating our efforts in these areas.”
For more information, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/speeding.