Area law enforcement, health agencies receive $215K to reduce traffic fatalities

Traffic moves freely on Derr Road between Villa Road and Home Road Friday, Sept 8, 2023 as the orange cones have been removed marking the road project's completion. The City of Springfield has been working on the $1.4 million project since April. BILL LACKEY/STAFF BILL LACKEY/STAFF

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

Traffic moves freely on Derr Road between Villa Road and Home Road Friday, Sept 8, 2023 as the orange cones have been removed marking the road project's completion. The City of Springfield has been working on the $1.4 million project since April. BILL LACKEY/STAFF BILL LACKEY/STAFF
News
By Jessica Orozco
Dec 13, 2023
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Local law enforcement and health agencies received a combined total of almost $215,000 from the Ohio Department of Transportation to improve community safety and to reduce impaired driving and enforce traffic laws.

The Springfield Division of Police received more than $51,000, while the Clark County Sheriff’s Office received more than $86,000. The Champaign County Sheriff’s Office received more than $20,000, and the Clark County Combined Health District was awarded $55,000.

“SPD has identified that impaired driving and improper seatbelt use are impacting the safety and welfare of the Springfield community, and funding received from this grant will aid SPD in increasing enforcement of these incidents,” community information coordinator for Springfield Valerie Lough said in a release.

According to the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, these grants are awarded in an effort to reduce the number of traffic-related deaths across the state.

According to preliminary data, in 2022 there were 1,178 traffic deaths in Ohio. The current fatality rate is 1.09 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.

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About the Author

Jessica Orozco covers crime, courts, government and more in Clark County for the Springfield-News Sun. She previously covered crime and courts for The Lima News, and before that, Orozco interned at The Columbus Dispatch on the metro desk. Orozco has a bachelor of arts in journalism from Ohio State University, from where she graduated in May 2022.