Palos Park, Palos Hills Police Participate in Speed Awareness Day

PALOS, IL — Speed kills. That's the message that Palos Park and Palos Hills police hope to impart to motorists on July 24's Speed Awareness Day. Expanded traffic safety patrols will be visible in both communities to remind motorists to drive within the speed limit.

"This isn't about writing tickets, it's about raising awareness that speeding is still the number one cause of traffic crashes in Illinois," said Chief Joe Miller, of the Palos Park Police Department. "Enforcement campaigns are necessary and effective at raising awareness and reaching motorists."

The purpose of the speed awareness program is to target and address chronic speeding conditions on specific roadway sections by participating in "Speed Awareness Day" events.

According to Illinois Speed Awareness Day statistics, speeding can have the following consequences In residential areas:

• When a pedestrian is hit by a car at 20 mph, there is a 10 percent likelihood of being killed; at a speed of 30 mph, the percentage increases to a 50 percent likelihood of being killed.
• The higher the speed at impact, the more severe the injuries sustained.
• 37 percent of speed-related crashes result in injuries.
• When speeding, there is a greater chance that other road users will misjudge how fast you are traveling.
• Speeding extends the distance required to stop a vehicle in emergency situations.
• Speeding reduces a driver's ability to navigate safely around curves or objects in the roadway.

Police are asking motorists to take a proactive approach to prevent fatalities and reduce injuries on the roadways by being aware of their speed and obeying the speed limit signs at all times. ISAD is an Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and Families Against Chronic Excessessive Speed 4 (FACES4). For more information, visit Illinois Speed Awareness Day.